Lillah's Story
by Fiannalyn also Fianna
Summary: After the War of the Ring, Haldir finds healing and renewal are not so easy.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: Lillah's Story**

**Author: Fianna Leighton**

**Rating: R **

**Disclaimer: All elves of LOTR belong to the estate of JRR Tolkien and are used with respect and deep appreciation.**

**LILLAH'S STORY**

**CHAPTER ONE: The depths of pain.**

The horse's steady plodding gait should have been soothing instead of mind-numbingly painful. Soothing, had not the arrow shaft lodged between two ribs jolted with each step, sending white hot flashes of pain into her brain. The pain made her shudder with each step of the horse, a sweeping flood of pure agony.

It wasn't the horse's fault. Lillah could not have found harsh words for the animal had she the energy. Loyal and faithful, he had plodded on unerringly, without direction some days, following the road before it with step after painful step.

Did the horse understand the pain she was in? She considered briefly that he did, or else why would he be so gentle. He was trained in war, yet with her on his back, the horse had been as tame as an old nag. Then the horse had always liked her, amazing her husband many times.

The memory of her husband sent a new wave of pain through her, straight into her heart, choking her with an iron band of grief. Those pains brought more pain, too fresh to bear, yet too fresh to put out of her mind.

Mind-numbing? She was far too clear on what had transpired just days ago. Had it only been that long? It seemed like years, the pain never-ending.

She shifted in a vain attempt to ease the wooden shaft caught so tightly in her side. The war was over! Husband and brother had come home in victory only to die at the hands of an enemy thought to be defeated. She caught the sob as it rose to her lips, unwilling to let loose the torrent waiting to be unleashed. She knew she would not stop if those sobs escaped; her heart would be torn asunder if the grief was allowed free.

No, she had to be strong. She was a rod, an iron rod—unbending and stiff.

She weaved slightly off balance, only to jerk upright as agony shot from her ribs. A rod. She gripped the pommel of her saddle, legs dangling from the stirrups, unable to find the strength to lift her feet. A rod . . .

How many steps was it now? How long ago had she unconsciously begun to count them? Forty three thousand and seventy . . . two . . . no three. She closed her eyes, but opened them quickly when she tilted to the left. A steel rod, she reminded herself.

Ahead, the road had become clogged with refugees. Did they flee the danger? Or had they lost everything too, finding that the only road left was one of darkness and grief?

The huge mountain that was a city filled the horizon, seven levels built into the face of the sheer granite. Seven levels of white stone, walls curved elegantly, rising with as much grandeur as the mountain that embraced it.

Minas Tirith.

Lillah blinked slowly. How long had it been in sight? Once tiny as she crested the low hills, when had it moved down and over the plain until it loomed high over her head?

She realized with a barely suppressed groan that her horse had stopped. She lifted her head to see why, the arm pressed tight against her stomach wet with slowly oozing blood, hidden by the folds of her cloak.

People packed the roadway, bedraggled and grim, almost silent in their misery. Many carried small children crying at their sides. Her bleary gaze took in few wagons or horses, only a slowing moving hoard hoping to gain entrance into the city. So many that the gates were barred, allowing only a few inside at a time.

She didn't have time to wait to enter. The days of slow plodding had taken their toll, the blood lost weakening her until she could hardly sit, her side a burning ember waiting to burst into flame.

But she was an iron rod; there was no pain, no weariness, and no grief.

Steel felt nothing, nothing at all.

The King of Gondor stood beside Haldir looking resplendent in a black tunic with the white tree emblazoned on his chest, green eyes calm as he watched the influx of people crowding through the lowest gate of his city. Elessar, Aragorn to most, bent his head to acknowledge yet another grim refugee, welcoming each and every one of the people wearily trudging before him with a heartfelt grip to a shoulder or a touch to a child's head.

How the man could keep it up confounded Haldir. So many refugees . . . how many did the man think he could support? Already the city was near to overflowing, with the visiting dignitaries for his coronation still in attendance, the elven community still encamped on the wide plain beneath the city. And this--a never-ending mob of downtrodden and weary.

Moreover, here the new king sat, day after day, watching the incursion of needy folk.

As if reading Haldir's thoughts, Aragorn glanced his way with a grimace. "I cannot turn them away, Haldir."

"Indeed you cannot. But how you will find them all food, clothing and shelter before the snows pile upon the plain, I do not know." Haldir folded his arms over his chest, staring past the flood of humanity in front of him. "So many!" he complained. "You would not know the war is over."

Legolas turned his head toward them, his blue eyes glimmering with compassion. "For many the war is not over. Even now, those orcs that were not destroyed play upon the unwary. Word of peace has spread, but too many forget that there is yet an enemy." The young prince grunted in despair. "Too many still die."

Sighing, Aragorn nodded in agreement. "Only too true, my friend. It is yet another reason why I cannot turn them away. I will find a way."

Haldir could understand, yet the king was mortal, even if he did possess the blood of Númenor. "You may find clothing and food," he pointed out, "yet you cannot heal each one. You push yourself too far, Aragorn. Arwen will find her new husband too tired for what she wishes."

Aragorn flashed him a rueful smile. "Did I not know better, I would think you had been in my room last night, Haldir. But again, what can I do? I can make them well. I must do what I can."

Haldir reached out, gripping Aragorn's shoulder. "You do what you can, yes. Yet you must also remember that you are the King."

Legolas swept out his lean hand, encompassing the refugees moving past them. "Indeed, had you the strength you could heal perhaps five or ten, but more than that will weaken you. Already you've been to the healing houses this morning, probably five of them at least. And here you sit, watching more press in. You should go back to your gardens. Allow them to enter, but do not sit and watch."

With a faint smile, Aragorn shook his head. "Good advice. A king should listen to such good advice."

Legolas sighed. "Should, but does not."

Haldir heard them distantly. His gaze had traveled amid the refugees as they spoke, picking out the ill and the injured unerringly. The gates had only one panel open, warded intently by guards asking information before stepping aside to direct the flow of humanity into the city. Some entered dejectedly, uncaring that they arrived while others walked in with faces wreathed in hope. Many stumbled in awe and anticipation upon seeing the elves and Aragorn, unmistakably the King with the fluted crown sitting upon his head. Some gathered what little they had and hurried distractedly past, their minds already set upon their path. And some were turned away before entering the gates, left to gather in the wide field of low tents just below the city, a league from the glittering silk tents of the elves.

He could see the road from where he stood, the hard dirt packed by thousands of feet, the air gritty from the dust. A steady stream marched down that path, wider than five horses abreast, packed from edge to edge with people.

Had there been more horses amid the throng, he might not have noticed her, but few horses or wagons were found among the refugees, so a tall dappled gelding slowly plodding amidst the wealth of bodies drew his attention. His hand reached out to touch Aragorn's shoulder as the woman astride the horse stiffened, hands fluttering to catch the pommel of her saddle before she fell, adjusting herself with a jerk that he could see brought her pain. A lot of pain, plain for anyone to see, yet she was ignored, the throng moving around the now still horse.

Haldir was moving before he even realized it, mocking his own admonition from just moments ago to leave them be. The crowd parted for him, or perhaps more so for Aragorn who matched his stride, or perhaps, because of Legolas and him. The elves always drew people's attention, often stopping to stare in amazement. One would think they had never seen an elf before.

He reached the woman first, with Legolas a step behind to gather the reins she had dropped, although the horse did not seem to need them. Aragorn moved to one side, reaching up to grasp her knee.

Haldir moved to her other side, drawn forward by the glimpse of the sword tucked neatly beneath the saddle girth. The woman's gasp made him look up as she reeled backwards.

"Are you injured . . ." Aragorn began.

The woman's eyes widened, perhaps in recognition. Haldir, however, sensed she was no more aware of them than the horse beneath her as her eyes rolled back in her head. He caught her gently as she fell to the side, his hand sliding around her waist to grip her tightly. He dragged her off the horse and laid her on the grassy area at the side of the road.

A red stain coated his hand. He stared at it for brief moment in concern before cursing in Elvish, standing quickly to push the staring onlookers back. "She is bleeding, Aragorn."

He was thankful that Aragorn did not make a jest about their previous conversation as the King knelt beside her. Legolas held the horse's bridle, eyes curious if calm. He'd seen this all too often.

Haldir knelt back down beside her, drawing aside the sodden cloak that had hidden her injuries. "An orc shaft for certain. One of those unwary souls who thought there was no danger?"

Aragorn ran his hands over the prone form of the woman. "It is the only injury I can sense, but I cannot help her here. You must ride with her into the city. Legolas and I will catch up."

Haldir clenched his teeth. Aragorn's habit of requiring his aid had resulted in painful consequences. He caught the King's arm. "A long ride at the pace she needs, a painful one if not fatal at a faster one."

Aragorn smiled grimly. "Perhaps, unless you intervene."

Haldir's chin rose before he could prevent it. "Is that an order from the King?"

Aragorn grinned openly. "Does it need to be?"

Haldir leaped effortlessly into the saddle, bending back down to accept the woman Aragorn held up to him. "I will go as fast as I can. But do not take long to catch up; I do not know where you intend to take her."

Aragorn nodded even as he turned away, striding back through the crowd. Haldir sighed, gently adjusting the woman so she lay in the curve of his arm. She was shuddering slightly, on the edge of consciousness, mumbling incoherently. He brushed his fingers over her brow, his lips tight as he urged the horse forward with his knees. A hard ride, if not as fast as he would like. He had his doubts she would survive the elvish spell he had placed on her.

Nevertheless, Aragorn was not a force to be denied, as he knew all too well. A gentle kick and the horse surged forward, hooves clattering on the paved stones of the city streets as he bounded through the gates. Haldir bent over the woman, shielding her as much as he could from the horse's galloping gait, hair streaming behind him as they rode swiftly through the city streets.

Lillith had thought the pain she knew before was agony but found it was not even close. She clenched the soft folds of cloth found within her grasp, teeth clamped so hard together her jaw ached, eyes squeezed tightly shut as if doing so could block the horrible sensations, refusing to release the pent up fury of pain. Somehow, her horse had gained a rider, for some reason galloping with her in an echoing clatter that told her she was inside the city.

Where were they going? It was a fleeting question drowned by the waves of torture. An abrupt stop flung her hard against what she dimly knew was a chest, with attached arms gripping her tightly, yet not so hard that he added to the pain already consuming her chest. A deep voice singing words faintly into her ear made the pain recede, leaving her only gasping for breath, rather than dying from lack of it.

The strong arms picked her up or was it down? Confused, she could do nothing, so weak lifting her arms was too much trouble. She briefly caught sight of buildings, a shadowed hall, sudden worried faces that disappeared as fast as they appeared amid a dull cacophony of voices, sounds that blended into a bleary jumble inside her head.

And strands of silver that caught the light beside her head.

She grunted when they laid her on something hard, hands gripping her ankles to wrap her skirts around her legs. She couldn't move for the hand gripping her shoulder as well as the ones at her feet. The immobility brought a wave of fear into the back of her mind.

They rolled her onto her side, with her helpless to stop them. She flung her head back, trying to complain that they were hurting her only to cry out in a low wail as fresh pain engulfed her, searing white hot flames that licked at her side, her mind.

"We have to remove the arrow."

She could not suck in enough air, inhaling hurt, exhaling hurt worse. A knee was behind her back, a pair of hands held her tightly on her side. A face appeared, upside down, before her, grey eyes staring piercingly into her own, demanding her attention.

"We have to remove the arrow."

She blinked as the realization of just what they planned to do dawned on her. "Noooo . . ." the denial turned into a scream of agony.

**

Haldir gripped the woman's shoulder, his hair sliding over his shoulder as he turned abruptly toward Aragorn. "She will not accept the pain. It will kill her."

Elessar shook his head. "She has no choice, Haldir. I have no doubt she is stronger than she looks. She has ridden at least two days with that arrow in her side. A bit more pain will not kill her."

Aragorn's stubborn gaze locked with his for several moments before Haldir conceded, dropping his gaze to the weakly struggling form held hard against his knees. Perhaps she might survive, perhaps not. He would do what needed to be done. It was the will of the Valar.

"You have to pull the arrow out, Haldir. You are stronger than I. I can give her some relief from the pain while you do."

Haldir nodded absently, sliding his dagger through the grimy folds of her dress to slice away the cloth around her side. The black shaft sank deeply into her ribs, the skin raw and bloody around the cylinder, grey and bruised as he gently pulled the cloth away.

She was still struggling, feebly trying to fend off his hand. He caught it easily, holding it against her side as he traced the arrow shaft down to her skin. At least three inches sank deep into her side, how it missed a lung killing her instantly, or even slowly as she rode, was impossible. His injuries at Helm's deep and his subsequent healing had been impossible. He had learned to believe in fate.

He gripped the smooth haft of the arrow sticking out of her side, just barely long enough for him to grasp with any strength and then he bent over the woman again, hair falling to shield them within its length.

"I have to remove the arrow. You must surrender to the pain, all of your pain. Or you will die."

She twisted her wrist frantically, locked under his hand at her hip. She flung her head back, lip clamped between her teeth. She took a shallow breath, whimpering as he slid his fingers over the arrow.

"Please, let me die. I do not want to live." Her words were a jumble of gasps, whispered hoarsely, her eyes wide yet unfocused.

"I cannot let you die."

She moaned, flinging her head back again and Haldir reached up to grasp her chin, leaving a bloody print on her skin. "Surrender," he demanded softly, aware that Aragorn had moved to his side. "Surrender or we cannot heal you."

She relaxed somewhat, lying her cheek on the table beneath her as she sobbed. Aragorn pressed Haldir's arm, but some things could not be rushed. Haldir was well aware of what she had to let go. He bent over her, his lips near her ear.

His words were elvish. He doubted she would have understood him even had he spoken in common. Nevertheless, they had the effect he wanted as she relaxed further, her hand going still beneath his on her hip. Tears slid silently down her cheek to seep into the strands of his hair that pooled beside her head.

He could do no more. He straightened, gripping the arrow shaft with a glance toward Aragorn, and pulled.

**

Excruciating, unbearable, piercing. . . numbly her mind tried to fit words to the pain that was suddenly less. She inhaled, finding the action still painful but not so bad as it had been. She understood dimly that the arrow was gone, tossed aside with a curse that she clearly recognized. Orcs.

There had been too many, surprising Lillah and her family when they had thought the danger past. Her holding, small yet protected by a seven foot stone wall, had fallen far too easily with what was left of her inhabitants out in the fields in a vain attempt to harvest some kind of crop that remained after the war.

Helpless as well as unaware of the danger approaching.

They had been fools to believe the enemy completely destroyed. She shuddered at the memory, weeping. The creatures had flooded out of the surrounding hills, instantly overwhelming those in the fields, arrows dropping most of her kin. The few left alive died screaming.

Then they had approached the village. Walls manned with too few to do much good, the gates had been locked and barred with whatever they could find in the precious few moments they had.

It was all in vain. The orcs had scaled the walls far too easily, slipping in between children trying to be men, only to die as children. Lillith wept as the memories coursed through her mind, the grief too stark, the ache too much to bear. The orcs had destroyed everything while she had backed away, defending herself with only a long kitchen knife. The leering eyes of the enemy still glared at her, the red gleam of death brought renewed fear. She gasped for air, scrambling backwards to evade the black iron blade swinging toward her and then pain, crushing her, knocking her down to pin her against the ground. And then there had been laughter, fading horrible laughter until she knew nothing more.

Tears had slid down her face, mingling with the dirt and blood. She had shuddered with the force of her grief, tearing at her hair, her clothes. Why had she been spared? At least unconscious, buried under the collapsed wall that had fallen over her, she had not heard the screams of the dying.

The fire had forced her back so far the barn was just a glare of light. A pyre of dead, dragged inside, each and everyone she could find. There would be nothing left for scavengers to pick clean. She had been the scavenger. She had watched it burn too numb, finally, to weep. The arrow had come unexpectedly, sprawling her onto her back with a gasp to stare up into the diamond dotted sky with shock.

The orc flinging that last bolt did not deem it necessary to make sure she was dead, leaving her once again alive to face her demons.

The morning sun had forced her awake, the pain in her ribs now only a memory.

The grief was still there, the pain of her loss wrapping her heart in a smothering grip, threatening to destroy her if only she were to let go, let it take her away . . .

"She is not surrendering, Haldir. You are losing your touch."

Aragorn's muttering did not sit well. "She wants to die," Haldir muttered crossly, irritably lifting his gaze to the Gondorian King.

Aragorn looked up from where he sat next to the woman, hands bloody from her wound, his face granite. He would not give in. Who would be the stronger?

Haldir sighed and leaned over her again, tracing a line along her brow, his words too low for even Legolas to hear, standing yet at her feet, holding her ankles. Even were she to surrender, the wound itself might kill her, even with the magic of both elven and Númenor healing.

"If she wanted to die she would have thrown herself into that fire with the rest of her family." Legolas's voice was low, his eyes drifting between both Haldir and Aragorn.

The woman's gasping words had left them all stunned, delirious or not, they had the ring of truth. Haldir had to agree. He laid a hand over Aragorn's, concentrating on the woman beneath. Her trembling had eased as the pain had lessoned, but she was weak, very weak. She whimpered faintly, tossing her head again. Surrendering was not easy.

**

Aragorn's face was drawn, pale with weariness that Haldir felt all too well. The woman was sleeping so deeply that Haldir was worried she would not wake from it. She had finally let go, with weak struggles that they controlled easily, falling into near unconsciousness. The King sat back staring absently at his bloody hands. Haldir slid off the table, legs numb from leaning over her, his hands red to the wrists.

A bustling woman strode into the room, her hair a glistening gray that was so unfamiliar to the elves, her green eyes flitting around the room, taking in everything. She looked determined, crossing the room towards Aragorn, holding a basin of steaming water.

"Wash, and then go and eat, my lord." The woman bowed slightly as Aragorn flinched, drawn from his study of his hands to look up at her.

"Anna, I don't know if it worked?" The King was almost forlorn, but the woman merely scowled, thrusting the bowl toward Aragorn.

"You did what you could. It is up to her now." Her glance encompassed Haldir with the same measure of forcefulness. "Both of you have. Stop looking like puppies locked out of the house. The woman made it here from the Valar knows where with an orc arrow in her ribs. She will not wake up smiling, now or in a few hours, nor will she need your long faces staring at her when she does."

Aragorn laughed weakly and rose to his feet. He started to reach toward the woman, ostensibly to hug her, but she grimaced and shoved the basin into his hands.

"Wash. Eat. The Lady Arwen is worried about you."

Haldir suppressed a smile at Aragorn's expression. Married life had many sides, even for a King, especially married to an elven princess used to having her way. Haldir allowed the smile to curve one corner of his mouth as he met Legolas's gaze. He would not fall prey to such things. The Mirkwood prince seemed to agree as he grinned back.

Another basin was shoved into his hands with more clean water. Haldir looked up from the steaming bowl to find the woman glaring at him! "You think you are any different? Clean up and eat. You might be an elf but you still need to eat. It has been hours since you came in." She sniffed as he took the basin. "The girl needs some peace now, clean clothes and a real bed."

She bustled around the room, picking up the few pieces of bloody cloth with a snort. Haldir washed his hands quickly, drying them on a towel she pulled from her shoulder.

"Take off that tunic and I will see if we can clean it for you. Sad to see it is silk, such a fine material but difficult to clean." She plucked at the front of his chest, standing several inches below his chin as he reeled back from her touch.

"I am fine; I can clean it."

She snorted rudely, along with a raised brow. "You? I dare say you have not cleaned your small clothes since you were my height. "Give it to me, now. You have another on underneath. Such modesty from men, I just don't understand it." She sent him another glare, somehow making him feel like a small elfling under that unflinching gaze even though he stood over her.

Legolas's chuckle was unnecessary. Haldir knew when to surrender. He bowed his head to the woman and reached up to unfasten the hooks that held the gold silk closed. She smiled, folding her arms to wait, watching him avidly. Modest was he? He grinned at her, sliding the silk over his head to drop it into her hands. Her eyes met his for a moment with another lift of her brow.

"You have blood on that too."

He looked down to find the black under-tunic was damp with blood as well. He sighed, with a glare to Legolas who was snickering openly now. "I have no other."

She sniffed again. It was odd how women did that, so much language in such a small sound. Disappointment, disproval, irritation, all were suggested strongly with the noise. "I will bring you something to put on then. I suppose you cannot walk about with bare skin. You would have my ladies fainting dead away." She grinned suddenly, wickedly, her eyes sparkling. "Although I cannot say I would have minded so much."

Haldir folded his arms over his chest stubbornly while she laughed with a wink to him as she left the room. Modesty indeed!

tbc


	2. Chapter 2

**+++ Thank you to everyone who has favorited, or linked to my stories. I have a passion for Haldir and never get tired of writing about him. I hope to post weekly as I write this, so be patient. I appreciate your patronage, and hope that you may check out my published story coming in 2009 as well. Look for me online at fiannaleighton****.com****. Thanks!**

**Title: Lillah's Story**

**Author: Fianna Leighton**

**Rating: R **

**Disclaimer: All elves of LOTR belong to the estate of JRR Tolkien and are used with respect and deep appreciation.**

**LILLAH'S STORY**

**CHAPTER TWO: Awakening.**

The sounds of normal life drifted to her, distant, but growing louder - dishes clattering, voices, laughter -- until Lillah took a deep breath and rolled over onto her side, opening her eyes to find a gray-haired woman knitting calmly beside her bed.

"It's about time you woke up," the woman complained, her gaze concerned as she looked over the clicking needles at Lillah. "I was beginning to see why that elf had such a long face. Most men get irritable when their work goes wrong. Men or elves, it doesn't seem to make a difference."

Lillah blinked, her mind struggling to attach words and faces, memory and remembered pain. She rolled over onto her back, feeling her side. "The arrow is gone."

"Aye, not an easy thing it was either. The elf's face was nearly white when he finally pulled it free, with you screaming and Aragorn near as pale." The woman chuckled as she bent over her needles. "Nearly kicked the young elf at your feet, him thinking he had you all wrapped up in your skirts. Fooled him you did, you were a lot stronger than they thought." She sighed, folding her needles into the knitting to stare at Lillah. "But the elf threw that arrow head across the room like it came from his own body." She frowned as she shoved the knitting into a small basket, "or one of his people." She looked at Lillah intently. "He is distant and reserved most of the time, but he did what needed to be done. Between him and King Elessar, they did you a good thing. If they hadn't worked together, though, I don't believe you'd be glaring at me now."

Lillah blinked again and then stared at the ceiling, feeling both angry and thankful. She struggled to sort out which she felt and settled on anger, her grief too heavy to bear. "I did not ask for their help."

The woman rose, drawing Lillah's gaze, holding her knitting basket to her chest. "Of course you did. The moment you climbed on that horse you were hoping to get help." She walked to the door before turning back toward Lillah. "And do not try to tell me anything else. I will get you some soup. The elf will want to know you are awake as will the King. I cannot sit here babbling to you all day, there are things that must be done. Perhaps the elf didn't have much to do, to sit like he did for so long. . . " her voice trailed off as she disappeared, leaving Lillah even more confused.

Lying back into the mattress, she tentatively slid her hand beneath her gown to feel her ribs. They were tender, but nothing more. No scar, nothing hardly to show she'd been wounded so severely. She dropped her hand onto the bed wearily, just rolling over seemed to tax her strength. Had she wanted to live? She sighed as she stared at the ceiling. She had wanted to die. Or thought she did, perhaps it was the elf and his magic confusing her. She frowned, remembering his voice, words she could not remember fully. He had had a demanding voice, commanding her to surrender. Commanding her! She grimaced, plucking at the coverlet weakly. How insufferable. She_ had_ wanted only to die, to escape the grief that even now brought the heated burning of tears. She inhaled slowly with a shuddering breath. No, that was not true. She had wanted to live -- the desire had always been there if buried deep beneath the pain. Somehow, the elf had sensed it and forced her to accept it.

Only what was she to do now?

**

Haldir looked up from his book, watching the woman cross the room below him from where he sat on the balcony, her long hair bound in a thick braid behind her head, her pace slow and listless. She did not look up, nor around at any of the other people in the room, but made her way slowly past them seeming lost in thought.

He knew she was healing well enough, physically at least. Aragorn had told him she seemed unhappy.

Having a sound body, however, did not take away the emotions of grief, or the guilt one felt for living when loved ones and friends did not. That would take time, for some a lifetime. His sorrow was still heavy on his heart, but he had been able to push it out of his mind for the most part, until now as he saw hers. Her pain brought the memories back in a rush, a sharp ache that took away his breath, his well-being. It would not be good to linger here long, yet he could not leave yet. Something about the woman kept him close by.

Something about her nagged at him, a tiny detail he had somehow missed that was important.

He did not know why.

He lifted the book, but watched her as she stopped near a window, drawn by the play of sunlight on her russet hair. Such color was unusual in his world, although many in Imladris carried the darker tones of color - browns, blacks, even an occasional redhead from the line of Maedhros.

She reached out, carefully pushing open the window frame, leaning outside a moment, only to suddenly close it, as if she did not want to see the sunlight or hear the birds chirping outside.

He rose to his feet silently, setting his book aside.

She stood holding the latch tightly when he reached her, fingers nearly white with the strain, her eyes closed.

"You cannot shut it away."

She whirled around, her hand lifting to her throat with a gasp.

He had not meant to frighten her and felt a brief pang of guilt for doing so, having forgotten she would be edgy after what she had been through. "I am sorry; I did not mean to startle you."

She lowered her eyes, turning away, but he caught her arm gently. "It will get better."

"Will it?"

"Aye," he promised in a low voice, his gaze following the line of her throat, her chin, and then the sharp curve of her ears. "You are an elf," he said with a touch of surprise. Her ears had been hidden from him when he had first seen her, covered by the thickness of her hair. They peeked out now from within the russet strands, a definite reflection of her heritage.

She swallowed, taking a moment before she turned her head to look at him. "I was."

He frowned. "And what does that mean?"

She studied him; her eyes, he noted, were pale blue, weary.

"You would not understand." She looked away, and then glanced at him again, a sharp turn that was followed by a lengthy stare. "You are the one who helped heal me."

He nodded faintly. "You came for help."

She laughed mockingly, moving a step closer to him. He could smell the soft scent of violets that wafted from her hair.

"Did I," she asked, looking up at him, hardly standing past his shoulder. "Perhaps I came only to warn you that the orcs are yet free to do harm. Perhaps I had come to complain that my family is dead because they are yet free, perhaps . . ." She took a deep breath, and then as he watched her, tightened lips that trembled faintly. "Perhaps, I should not blame anyone but myself," she whispered.

He moved back a step when she pushed him gently out of the way. "I appreciate your kindness," she said quietly, "if not the healing itself." She moved slowly away, her steps silent as his, and then she paused and looked back at him. "How long does it take?"

He lifted his shoulders in a faint shrug. "I am still waiting."

Her eyes widened slightly, and then she nodded, sweeping out of the room to leave him alone in the midst of the crowd.

**

Lillah sank down on the bed, catching herself before she sprawled across it sobbing as she wanted to do. No, she could not; she had to push away the grief, the pain. The tears, however, began to fall, no matter her struggle to hold them back, long lines of dampness that darkened her pale cheeks.

She had nothing left.

She sighed miserably, rubbing a hand across one eye. She had a holding, a small farm worth nothing but grief. One she no longer wanted. It had been a gift from her father, an uneasy token of peace, of forgiveness, taken and accepted by both her husband and his family.

She had felt some remorse for hurting her parents, for leaving all that she knew for a life with a man who would die in her arms far sooner than she had ever thought. Had she bound her life with his, she would have been dead, arrow or not. Her grief even now seemed to threaten her life, what would it have been like had she truly given her soul to his?

Lillah could not imagine the heartrending pain that might have brought.

She had intended on binding with him, had planned on giving him the gift so precious to her kind at the birth of their first child. A child she would never have now. She had blamed herself for the lack of an heir for her husband. The long years that she had lain with him left them only with a treasured closeness, but nothing more.

He had pleased her well enough, and had said that only, perhaps, it was a matter for the Valar to choose.

She curled up on the bed, closing her eyes against the pain. "Why, why do this to me?"

"The gods never do what we want," the woman Anna said, bustling into the room with an armload of linen, her piercing eyes drawing Lillah from her melancholy. "But maybe, it is more what we think we want." She set the blankets down on the bed and then stood staring down at Lillah with hands on her hips. "You can cry all day, but it will not help, nor make the grief any lighter. I have lost two husbands to the orcs and this war, not to mention a son as well. It hurts, so much I think I will die from it."

She pulled Lillah off the bed, stripping the blankets. "But I have not passed on yet. The sun comes up, the day goes on and I keep going." She threw the soiled blankets onto the floor and then efficiently made the bed again. "And you will too," she continued, grunting with her exertions.

Lillah smiled faintly. "The Valar have given you much strength."

Anna turned to glare at her. "Me? I have little of what you do. You have a long life to live, if you do not let the grief tear you apart. Would he want that? There is too much suffering and too many who need help. Put your grief into something worthwhile, my lady. It is what helps me keeping going."

She nodded, gathering the blankets, and then left the room as abruptly as she had come, leaving Lillah bemused and a bit startled. The race of men did so much living in such a short time -- it had been one of the things drawing her to her husband.

No, he would not want her to grieve long. He would have wished her to go on, knowing her life would not end with his.

Lillah sighed, wiping her face. She was not the only one who had lost everything. She still had family, hopefully, if they had stayed in Arda, and the orcs had not decimated their home. She ran out of the room, finding Anna a few rooms down, and stopped breathlessly just inside the door.

"Do you know if the elves are still on the plain?"

Anna looked up, blinking for a moment. "Some," she said with a faint smile. "I would ask that Haldir if I were you. He knows everyone it seems."

Lillah lifted a hand to her throat. "Haldir? Haldir of Lórien?"

Anna shrugged, not really paying attention. "I only heard of one Haldir. He is the one who healed you, along with King Elessar."

Lillah moved out of the way, as Anna brushed past her, with a shiver. "Haldir, you are sure?"

Anna sighed and lifted her gaze to Lillah's. "You cannot mistake the March Warden. He was nearly killed at Helm's Deep. The grief I see in your eyes is often mirrored in his. The rumors say they lost nearly half of the elven warriors he brought with him. You can ask him what grief is like, my lady. I am sure he can tell you very well."

**

"You are not going back to the elves?" Aragorn asked mildly, lifting a brow as he sipped wine from a clear crystal goblet that had been a wedding gift from Galadriel.

Haldir shrugged, comfortable in the chair near the fire, unwilling yet to return to the plain. "Are you tired of my company, Aragorn?" he asked, looking up from his book.

Aragorn smiled, his eyes crinkling slightly in amusement. "Perhaps, if I was the object of your attention, how many pages have you stared at and not actually read?"

Haldir's mouth curved slightly, caught. "Too many."

"Why do you wait? Is it the elven woman, Lillah? She seemed better today," Aragorn mused. "Did you realize she was an elf?"

"Not until today, I have not been that near."

Aragorn snorted softly. "Near, yet far. You have hardly left the healing house. Why are you so concerned? You told me, not too long ago, not to care so much."

Haldir sighed, rising to his feet, handing Aragorn his book. "Advice I have not followed, true. I cannot say why I linger, only that I must." He touched his heart with a slight bow. "Give my regards to Arwen?"

Aragorn smiled, touching his forehead. "Always, Haldir, I only tease."

Haldir smiled back, touching Aragorn's shoulder briefly, and then left the room. The ramparts of the highest level drew him, silently moving past the guards standing at attention at the door, walking slowly toward the wall that stretched out in front of him. The wind caught his hair as he leaned over to look down, lifting the long strands of silver, nearly white in the moonlight, to swirl around his shoulders. Below him, the city teemed with life, even late into the night.

**

"I have been looking for you," a soft voice said from behind him. Haldir turned his head slightly. Her scent swirled around him, caught on the drafts of air.

"Why?"

She sighed deeply, moving to stand beside him, bracing her hands on the low wall in front of her. "You were right."

He watched her out of the corner of his eye, the play of light on her features as she struggled to say what was in her mind.

"I had to surrender."

"You cannot heal otherwise."

She shuddered, closing her eyes tightly, and he had the sudden intense desire to wrap his arms around her, but he did not.

"I gave my life to him, willing to leave all that I knew behind for the temptation of a man, his way of life." She bit her lip. "I would have lived that life happily." She turned toward Haldir, lifting a hand to rest it on his arm. "You know what grief is, they say."

He tried to ignore the heat that he could feel from her hand, surprised by the catch in his breath. Even now, it was difficult to admit, to feel the pain that lay so close to the surface. "Yes," he agreed faintly.

"And because you understand, you have tried to help me with mine. That is very noble of you."

Haldir frowned. "I was not trying to be noble."

"Kind then," she said, lifting her gaze to his.

He saw the twinkle in her gaze, a lightness that had not been there this morning.

"Perhaps, if you like to think so."

She studied him, tilting her head slightly. "Then why?"

He stared out into the plain. "I do not know. I just felt I needed to be near."

She turned back to the wall, leaning on the stone. "I have to find my family."

"There are many still among the plain. You are from Imladris."

She sent him a startled glance. "Yes."

He nodded faintly. "Elrond still resides below. He is staying for several more days. I am sure he can tell you if any of your kin came with them."

"You do not know?" she teased softly.

Haldir flashed a faint smile. "I know many, but not all."

"But most know you," she countered evenly, staring again beyond the wall.

He lifted his chin slightly, bemused. "And do you?"

"Haldir of Lothlórien, March Warden, respected Captain of the Galadhrim, brother, friend to a King… Your list goes on and on."

He smiled wryly. "And all true, so far." He reached out to capture her chin with his fingers, gently pulling her to face him. "And you, Lillah of Rivendell, are quite…" he bent closer, watching her eyes widen. "You are quite intriguing." He smiled, and then let her go, moving back a step. "Why do you seek me out?"

She stared at him for a moment, and then bit her lower lip, her expression wary. "I was hoping you could take me to the elves tomorrow."

"It would be my pleasure," he said softly, controlling the urge to brush his fingers across the bruised lip.

She nodded, and then with a frown, hurried down the wide street into the city.

Haldir watched her leave with a faint sigh. He had just overstepped a line he had promised himself he would not cross.

**

Lillah should have known he would come. She had asked, of course, but had thought her frowns might have deterred him. Even now, the memory of his fingers touching her skin made her heart flutter.

As well as making her feel horribly guilty.

Her husband lay dead only days ago, and already another had touched her intimately.

Not physically, the simple grasp of her chin had meant nothing, but rather, he had touched her deep inside, a resonant echo of something she had never felt before. Not even with her husband who she had loved beyond anything else.

How could she feel something so soon? It was traitorous and disloyal to a man who deserved much more.

Lillah turned away from the window, away from the elf striding so easily toward the healing house, a long stride well used to the fields and forests. She could not help but smile, noting the murmurs his approach brought, rippling from those near the door to the back of the room. He was famous, a hero, but a reluctant one as he stood at the door, bowing over someone's fingers, smiling faintly at another.

Respectful, if very distant, to the ill and injured, he was a puzzle to her. How could he be so different from what he seemed?

Many thought him arrogant, men found him cold and haughty. She sensed it was something different altogether, a deep confidence as well as a shield to protect a heart buried deep inside him.

A heart that knew grief as painful as hers, if not more?

She watched him search the room, perhaps knowing she would be there, somewhere. She was, hidden from him by a tall screen, unwilling yet to move forward, caught in an inner struggle, a war of wants and desires.

She could not hide forever, though, and finally moved away from the screen, her gaze lifting to seek him out from beneath her lashes.

He saw her instantly, his eyes narrowing slightly, but not enough to hide a piercing gaze. She could imagine him in his element, a bow in hand, long fingers gripping arrow after arrow, a warrior, fearless and brave, willing to sacrifice himself for those in need, a hero, indeed!

He reached her, taking her arm gently as she waited, finding his eyes were quite stunning. Dark lashes framed the silver-grey, brows dark when they should have been light. His gaze had a startling depth, layers and layers she wanted to explore, to know, to touch.

She blinked, clearing her throat, pulling away slightly, annoyed at being so mesmerized.

"You have come," she said stiffly.

He smiled faintly, folding his hands behind his back, perhaps in deference to her retreat. "I said I would."

She nodded, moving past him, aware of him intimately, a level so deep she was shaken. Whatever was happening was unsettling. Another elf arrived at the door, his blond hair sleek, gleaming against the dark green of his tunic. She knew him, although he was not from Imladris. Few did not know the son of Thranduil, King of Mirkwood, as well as a close companion to Aragorn. Legolas searched the room, and spying the two of them, grinned, striding across gleaming tiled floor, unaware of the gazes that locked onto him, the wide eyes of appreciation. Lillah nearly laughed, amused by the glances, and then wondered if she had looked that way at Haldir. She prayed not, with a shiver.

"The horses are here," Legolas said, with a smile at Lillah. "You look much better, my lady."

She watched him kiss her fingers, startled by the gallant gesture. A heart breaker for sure, she wondered how many elven women fell to his charm, certainly a number of human women had, she had only to glance around the room to see the effects.

"Thank you. I can place the blame firmly on both of you, as well as King Elessar."

Legolas laughed softly. "I had little to do with it; I only held your feet."

She shuddered faintly, and felt a hand touch her elbow, sending spiraling warmth up her arm. It made her both chilled and hot, a complex series of sensations that confused her. She pulled her arm free of Haldir's grip, putting some distance between them.

"At any rate, I thank you all for what you have done." She sent Haldir a brief glance to find him watching her closely. Too closely, she wondered just what he saw.

Legolas smiled, moving back to wave an arm toward the door. "We will take you to Elrond. I have business with those of my kin as well, so have volunteered to join you and Haldir, although he did not seem pleased with my suggestion." Legolas lifted an amused gaze to the taller warden. "Being a Prince does sometimes have its reward."

Lillah could not help but laugh, catching the grim smile the March Warden bestowed on the younger elf. No, he did not seem pleased, which made Lillah overly warm again.

"Shall we go then?" Haldir said crisply, bowing slightly with a hand to his forehead. It was a respectful gesture, to her, toward Legolas. The young elf had made his reputation fighting alongside Aragorn. She had heard many tales of his heroism, his loyalty to the man who had become King. He deserved the respect, but did not seem comfortable with it from Haldir.

Youth versus age, the comparisons made Haldir seem quiet, if a bit stern, in reflection to Legolas's lighter air. Yet both had seen terrible calamity, death, had dealt with horrible hardships and had survived.

Just as she must survive.

She swept past them, moving toward the door, smiling at Anna across the room. The woman waved her eyes sharp as she watched the two elves. She was a woman who had much vision, Lillah thought. She saw nearly as much as the elf did.

The horses waited outside, a pure white stallion, her dappled grey and a tall dark creature that turned as Haldir stepped outside. The horse snorted, shaking the bells tied to his bridle in greeting. Haldir smoothed his mane, patting the horse gently as he moved past, taking the reins of her husband's mount.

"You ride a beast meant for war," Haldir said, lifting her easily into the saddle. "He is not yours."

Lillah accepted the reins, patting the grey warmly. "No, he is, was, my husband's." She pushed the grief aside stubbornly, lifting her chin. "But he has always liked me."

Haldir smiled in amusement, rubbing the horse's nose. "A good thing, he likes few others. The handlers in the stable have complained he has been a handful."

Lillah blanched, she had not thought of what they had done with him. "I must apologize to Aragorn. I did not mean to cause any trouble."

Haldir's eyes gleamed with amusement for a brief moment, passing beside her knee as he gathered the reins to his horse. "I did not say there was trouble, only a challenge that was met." He pulled himself into the saddle gracefully, hair sliding over his shoulder as he leaned toward Lillah. "There are always many challenges to face in this life."

Legolas snorted from beside her, his blue eyes watching them both. "I think Haldir finds you a challenge, my lady."

Lillah flushed. "Lillah, please call me Lillah."

Legolas nodded regally completely unaware of his grace. "If you would like, although it does not sound elvish."

She smiled, the memory of how her husband had arrived at her name, shortening the Sindarin Lalaith, twisting it somehow into Lillah. She had not minded and rather liked the sound of it. She would keep it, in respect to her husband, a reflection of her love. "Nay, it is a nickname my husband used. I find I like it."

Legolas nodded, easing his horse away from hers to allow her room to move. "Then that is what I shall call you. Haldir has no nickname," he said in a teasing voice. "Unless it is grouchy old elf."

Lillah could not help but laugh, sending the annoyed elf a glance from under her lashes.

"He would do well to remember I can thrash him soundly, prince or not," Haldir promised, kicking his horse to leave them behind.

"He has no sense of humor," Legolas complained. "I like his brothers far better."

tbc


	3. Chapter 3

**+++ Thank you to everyone who has favorited, or linked to my stories. I have a passion for Haldir and never get tired of writing about him. I hope to post weekly as I write this, so be patient. I appreciate your patronage, and hope that you may check out my published story coming in 2009 as well. Look for me online at ****.com****. Thanks!**

**Title: Lillah's Story**

**Author: Fianna Leighton**

**Rating: R **

**Disclaimer: All elves of LOTR belong to the estate of JRR Tolkien and are used with respect and deep appreciation.**

**LILLAH'S STORY**

**CHAPTER THREE: Reunion**

The plain lay open before them from where they stopped on the road just outside the gates, waiting for the path to clear. Refugees still lined the road from Osgiliath, a rubble of ruins after the war. They waited patiently, aware of the curious gazes that followed them, three elves, although Lillah knew she did not look elvish with her ears hidden beneath her hair. She sat beside two definitely elven males, handsome, confident and well known to most who stared at them.

She wondered what it was like to be so notorious, to have people stare so much. The scrutiny made her uncomfortable; she wondered just what they thought. Both ellons seemed unaware of the gazes, both looking out over the plain in silence.

"How long will the refugees come," she asked quietly, disturbed by the number still flowing toward the city.

"They will come until Aragorn turns them away. They talk now of rebuilding Osgiliath, to take in the number that still arrives daily. They will soon have little choice," Legolas declared, leaning forward to peer at the lines of people. "The snows will come and many more will die if we cannot find them shelter."

Haldir sniffed faintly, his sharp gaze settling on the throng. "There is little here to comfort them, yet they still come."

Lillah thought of why she had. The city was not an elvish one, but it was here that she had been led, drawn by the word of the King, by his healing, his love for his people, his loyalty. It had been a rare thing to see, the blood of Númenor restored to its rightful place, the elegance of a man made to be King."

"They cannot stop, Aragorn draws them here. He is what they seek, they need," Lillah replied quietly. "He is the strength they lean on now."

Haldir looked down, his grey eyes softening. "And you, Lillah?"

She met his gaze intently. "I do not know why I came, really. Perhaps I had remembered that the elves had come, it is all a blur in my mind now."

"There are many things at work in this world we do not understand," he agreed, pulling his eyes from hers reluctantly.

She studied him a moment longer, admiring the wide set of his shoulders, wondering just how much he carried on those broad shoulders, how much he hid. She sighed, glancing at Legolas as well.

Strong, just as Aragorn was strong. They had been lucky to have such strength, so many had come forward to be tested. Elves, men such as Aragorn and Éomer of the Rohirrim, Faramir; so many names she had heard said with awe and respect, devotion. Even Gandalf, the wizard, a figure of great reverence as well as wonder, tested- who was now the epitome of his kind. Nor could one forget the small Halflings as well, the Hobbits. How amazing that a race so small and untoward could shape the future of the very world. Indeed, it was all startling. Their world had changed intimately in such a short time.

But what of the Elves?

Lillah glanced at the two beside her. What of these two? What had the war done to them?

*~*

Haldir rode behind Lillah, while she followed Legolas, riding the grey easily. The horse seemed quite docile with her, yet he had seen the fire in the animal's gaze, the fight the horse hid from her. She would not have recognized the angry animal he had helped calm in the stables. He could well imagine the animal in battle, a fierce and very protective companion for her husband, a shame then, to have died without the animal to aid him.

He studied her closely, content to ride behind, as it allowed him his perusal without making her nervous. She was slim, as most elven women were, long of leg and waist, her hair a thick rope down her back, trailing past her hip. She wore a heavy gown, most likely given her by the healers, that was too big, too rustic for her. He could imagine her in the fine silks and linens of the elves, weights that suited her frame much better than what she wore.

He found it amusing to be so caught up in watching her, enjoying it as much as being a bit concerned. He could not quite decide if it was interest, or curiosity, or both. What had led her to leave all she knew? Love did not seem a strong enough draw, yet he had only to look at Arwen to see it could.

He had no desire to know such a strong and demanding emotion that would rule him like that.

Legolas stopped a short distance from Elrond's tent, sliding off his horse fluidly. He reached Lillah before Haldir dismounted, sending him a slightly smug smile. Haldir only lifted a brow blandly, thinking the young elf did not want to step in between Haldir and something he wanted, but then he stopped abruptly, with a shake of his head, startled at the thought.

*~*

Lillah turned just in time to see Haldir pause, his face suddenly wreathed in surprise and then irritation. She felt Legolas grasp her elbow, drawing her forward. "What do you imagine he just was thinking," she asked the slim elf curiously.

Legolas flashed an amused look. "From his face, I would suggest leaving that question alone for some time."

She snorted softly. "Are you afraid of him, Legolas?"

The Prince stopped, staring down at her with a lift of a silver brow. "You have no idea of his stature do you?"

She pushed Legolas forward, wanting a moment to speak before Haldir caught up. "What do you mean by that?"

Legolas grinned faintly. "He is quite intimidating when he so chooses." The Prince grunted softly. "I met him after we had lost Gandalf."

Lillah had heard the stories; they had passed quickly among the realm.

"Haldir and his wardens stopped us when we came into the Wood," Legolas continued sourly. "If you had seen him then, Lillah, you would understand."

She did not have any more time to ask questions as Haldir walked past them to speak to the elven guard in front of Elrond's tent. The guard bowed and slipped inside the tent. A moment later, he returned, lifting the door so they could duck inside.

Lillah moved inside behind Haldir, taking a deep breath. Elrond knew her, knew her family as well, her father a member of his council years before, retired for some time to enjoy his gardens and books. Raen had not come from Imaldris originally, but had lived with Cirdan in Mithlond, the Grey Havens to most of Arda, since the last alliance had destroyed so many. Sent as an emissary, Raen had finally settled permanently in the valley of falls, to aid both Cirdan and Elrond as he could.

But Elrond had always made Lillah nervous, a powerful elven lord who had fought and survived the wars of the first and second ages, he seemed so distant, much like Haldir was, and unapproachable.

She quickly found he was not like that at all. She stepped underneath Haldir's arm inside the tent, straightening to find the elf lord turning toward her with a warm smile. He held out a hand as Haldir guided her forward, taking her cold fingers to rub them gently in his hand. A warmth spread rapidly down her arm, a healing energy she knew he released almost unconsciously.

"It is good to see you well," Elrond said softly, holding her fast to inspect her intently. "You seem to have recovered from your ordeal. I am sorry to hear of your family."

She bowed her head to hide the sudden flush of tears, unaware of the concern that creased Elrond's brow. "Thank you, my lord."

Elrond tucked her hand under his arm, guiding her to a seat in the middle of the room next to a low brazier that kept the room warm. "Sit, and tell me what happened."

She sat, aware of both Haldir who had moved to stand behind her, and Legolas waiting patiently near the door. She described the attack, staring hard at her hands, forcing the grief deep inside her chest, and then went on to explain her journey to Minis Tirith. She looked up finally, meeting Elrond's gaze nervously.

"I left Imaldris, my lord, left all that I knew behind and now I've lost everything."

Elrond shook his head, his gaze suddenly clouded, looking away for a moment. "Love," he sighed. He turned back to her with a smile that held much sorrow. "What we will do for love, hmm?" He patted her hand, his dark eyes glittering with much emotion. "But you are wrong, my dear. You have not lost everything. Raen is still among us, as well as your mother. In fact, I saw him only yesterday." Elrond's gaze suddenly twinkled as he chuckled. "He will be in far better spirits I am sure, when I next see him."

Lillah glanced up at Haldir and then back at the elven lord. "He is here?"

Elrond smiled wryly. "Indeed. He had hoped you would have heard of Aragorn's wedding to come to the White City. When we arrived and you were not here, he sent your brother to find you, but I have not heard that he has returned."

Lillah clutched her chest, her fear sharp in her heart. "Do you think he has been hurt as well?"

Elrond shook his head, pressing her hands into his. "Nay, Lalaith. I did not mean to frighten you, only meant to say he has not yet returned. I am sure he is fine."

Lillah stared at Haldir, then at Legolas. The orcs were still out there. If Rin had not been careful… if he had accidently run into the orcs… she shuddered, distraught to think she might have lost yet another.

A hand on her shoulder sent more warmth spiraling into her body, but not by magic. Haldir gripped her gently, a soothing touch of support even as he spoke. "I am sure it is more a matter of timing, my lord. Perhaps he has not had time to report to you."

Elrond nodded, rising to his feet. "Indeed, it is very likely, given the gathering here and all that has transpired. You must not fear. I have sent for Raen at any rate, he should be here shortly."

*~*

Legolas smiled faintly when the door opened once again to allow two tall elves into the tent, dark of hair and identical, the Imaldris twins bowed deeply before their father and then instantly turned toward Lillah, expressions wreathed in surprise.

"Lalaith!" Elrohir declared with a grin, striding across the room to gather the elf maid into his arms, kissing her boldly on her lips before turning her into the embrace of his twin, who managed only to garner a cheek with his kiss. Lillah pushed Elladan away with a startled laugh, clearly shaken by their greeting.

Legolas was not surprised, for the two elves were notorious for their romantic pursuits, and Lillah was a lovely, if still ill, elleth.

Elrohir moved to her side, studying her intently. "You have changed, _meleth_. How long has it been since you left us? Dare I say you were but an elfling?" He laughed, holding her chin, while Elladan settled an elbow on his brother's shoulder to stare at her as well.

Lillah stepped back, blinking, only to find Haldir behind her. Legolas watched Haldir brush his fingers across her elbow, holding her lightly. "She has been ill," Haldir said in a low voice, his stare sharp as it met both of the twins.

Elrond moved between Lillah and his sons, his glance to them full of warning, and then he smiled again at Lillah. "Do not mind them, they have not changed in all the years you have been gone."

"Indeed we have not," Elrohir agreed, stepping over beside Legolas to study him intently. "We have heard rumors that Aragorn healed her."

Legolas nodded, if warily. He knew the twins intimately, much better than Haldir, for they had ridden together on many occasions with Aragorn, sweeping the wilds of Arda for orcs and evil kind, rangers the three of them. Their interest in Lalaith was not surprising, but how they would react to Haldir's interest could be devastating to the elleth, who had somehow connected with the March Warden on an inner level. He knew it was only due to Haldir's sharp vision that they had found her quickly enough, and combined with Aragorn's skill in healing, had been the one to pull her through her terrible ordeal.

The twins would make light of it, teasing Haldir, and perhaps straining the tenuous hold she had on the guardian. A touch Legolas would like to see deepen between them.

"Aragorn has healed many these past days," Legolas said noncommittally, meeting the lively gaze of both twins sternly. "It is not for us to make light of such a horrendous occasion, my friends. Lillah is as yet still vulnerable; her emotions are not to be toyed with."

Elladan's brow rose, his voice low as he responded, lips curved in an amused smile. "Are you giving orders now, Legolas Greenleaf? Coming from you, that is quite funny."

Legolas scowled briefly, turning away from both twins to look toward the door where Haldir had moved moments ago, his back to them as he spoke with the guard.

"I am only suggesting you leave the two alone," Legolas declared softly.

Elrohir lifted a hand to his lips, tapping them with a forefinger. "Defending her and who else? Haldir?"

"It could only be," Elladan whispered. He gestured toward Lillah, who was watching Haldir from under her lashes. "Why the interest, Legolas? What has he done?"

Legolas shook his head, and breathed a sigh of relief when Raen pushed open the door, nodding regally at Haldir and then with a cry, he saw Lillah and rushed toward her.

*~*

Lillah nearly let go when her father embraced her tightly, the tears and grief thick in her throat so she couldn't speak, could only bury her head into his chest as she tried to stay in control of her emotions. Raen smoothed his hand over her hair, holding her lightly, his chin resting on the top of her head much as he had when she was young, a moment of security she found she needed more than she liked to think.

How she had been able to let them go, leaving all she knew behind seemed a distant memory, a blur of feelings and emotions that she could hardly bring forth, taken over by her grief and relief to find her father alive and well.

"Nana?" Lillah whispered in a choked voice, frustrated that she could not hide the emotion from the elves around her. Haldir was so calm, collected. His grief was nearly that of hers, perhaps more so for she knew the elves of the Galadhrim were a close family, no matter they were not related by blood. As their captain, she knew Haldir must feel responsible for their deaths, if mistakenly. Even so, the elf was a model of control, his face blank, eyes shadowed and unreadable as she glanced at him from within the arms of her father.

"Your mother is fine, and would have come with me but for a twisted ankle. Elrond has sent her a healer, but I told her it would be better for her to stay off of it for a while yet.

We will go to her shortly," he continued with a smile, holding Lillah out from his chest. "You look well, if tired, child. They have healed you?"

Lillah smiled faintly, sending a glance at Legolas as he stood near the door deep in conversation with the twins. Haldir nodded imperceptibly, blinking once as their eyes met. "Yes, I am healed, Father. As well as could be done."

Raen sighed softly, smoothing a tendril of hair from her brow. ""The grief is difficult to bear, I know. It will pass, my daughter, in time." He turned toward Elrond. "And who do I have to thank for such a boon as this, my lord?"

Elrond's gaze shifted toward Legolas and then Haldir. Legolas stepped forward when Elrond gestured, touching his fingers to his brow in greeting and the grasped the hand offered him warmly.

Raen smiled, gripping Legolas' hand tightly. "My thanks, young Prince."

"I had little to do with her recovery," Legolas admitted. "You must thank Haldir and Aragorn. It was they who healed her."

Raen hugged his daughter tightly, an arm around her shoulders. "Aye, and I will. But I wished to thank you as well. You all have looked after her very closely it seems. I cannot tell you how much that means to me. We thought her lost. The farm was destroyed, the place full of pain, and Lillah nowhere to be seen. My son has not yet returned and we believed her lost forever. Our sorrow was almost too heavy to bear."

Legolas understood very well. "We must thank the Valar for watching over her then, for it could have been only with their influence that she was able to travel so far. It still amazes me to think she rode four days and did not bleed to death."

The twins seemed far too interested in the story, their presence hovering just beyond his shoulder. Legolas turned slightly, sending a sharp elbow into Elladan's chest, and stepped hard on Elrohir's toe. "In fact, here, let me introduce you to Haldir. I am surprised you have not met, since Haldir, as Galadriel's emissary, travels occasionally to Imaldris." He led the two across the tent with a smile.

*~*

Haldir watched the exchange between Legolas and the twins with a deep sense of dismay, aware the twins were prodding the younger elf for information. They were incorrigible, but harmless. Their teasing was no worse than his brothers', but Legolas did not know that. Amused, Haldir watched Legolas turn toward him, drawing Lillah and her father away from the Imaldris duo. Whatever the young prince had done had not set well with either elf as both of them turned abruptly to leave the tent.

Legolas bowed respectfully to Elrond.

The tall elf lord smiled pleasantly, his gaze resting on the young elven woman. "Your father was terribly worried. He had hoped you had word of Aragorn's nuptials and would be here, and when he did not find you, he sent out your brother to find you."

Lillah did not look up. Haldir could sense her struggle to control the grief still too new.

Her father kissed her head. "The final outcome is that she is safe." The elf turned toward Haldir, holding out his hand. "And I have you to thank, as well as both Legolas and Aragorn."

Haldir gripped his hand firmly, meeting a very intense gaze. He smiled faintly. "You are welcome, too many have been lost." He lifted his chin, willing the sudden grief to pass, hardening his heart against the pain.

Raen watched him intently, refusing to relinquish the grip on Haldir's hand. "You have seen great suffering as well. I have heard the stories. They say you nearly left us as well. A great loss for all of us should the March Warden of Lorién been lost."

Haldir pulled his hand free with a faint cough. "I survived, as has your daughter. That is all that matters."

"Indeed," Elrond said firmly, moving between the elves. He smiled down at Lillah, taking her hand to lead her to a chair. "The days grow short for our kind. Who knows how long we shall remain now that the new age has come."

Raen frowned, moving to stand behind Lillah's chair. "We hear the call to the west." He pressed his hands to her shoulders. "Perhaps sooner than some."

Haldir's breath caught, his gaze dropping to Lillah, but she too stared up at her father in shock. "You are not leaving?" she demanded shrilly.

Raen's brows drew together. "Of course not, but I though perhaps after all you've been through…"

Lillah shook her head. "Nay, I am not ready to leave. Some day, but not now."

Raen nodded thoughtfully, his gaze shifting to settle upon Haldir. "I see. At any rate, once your brother returns, we can leave for Imaldris at least."

Haldir felt a faint sense of dismay at the thought, his duty was to return, of course, to Lorien and the Golden Wood.

Legolas frowned and turned as the tent opened once more, allowing a young elf to enter. He moved quickly to stand before Elrond and bowed deeply. "We have found Rinethel's steed, my lord."

Haldir turned swiftly to face the messenger, angry that the elf had no thought to offer such news privately, for he knew Rinethel was Lillah's brother, missing as yet in search of Lillah. Lillah had gone white to her lips, staggering against her father. Raen's brows had drawn together in concern, his hands gripping Lillah tightly.

Haldir stepped forward with a nod at Elrond. "Where did they find it?"

The messenger touched his forehead respectfully. "Two days ride, March Warden, in a high valley to the north. The rangers say it was still saddled with little more to tell."

Elrond smoothed his fingers over his lips. "We must not jump to conclusions to quickly," he said, turning toward Raen. "We will send out a party to investigate."

Haldir nodded, and with a faint thought sent to Galadriel, touched his heart. "I will go, my lord."

Legolas smiled grimly. "As will I."

Raen looked between the two, and then lifted a brow as the door was flung open once again and both Elrohir and Elladan stormed into the room. "Rin has been lost! We must go at once to retrieve him."

Lillah looked at them all, her eyes wide and then Haldir watched her expression harden into a stubborn resolve with a sigh of resignation.

"I am going too," she said with such conviction he knew they would have to tie her to a post to keep her from going.

Raen only nodded, his face pale. "I will pray that he is well."


	4. Chapter 4

LILLAH' S STORY:

CHAPTER FOUR:

They did not leave as quickly as Lillah would have liked, details had to be decided, horses gathered, supplies and then there was the fact that Haldir had made the decision to go, bringing the Lady and Lord of Lorién to Elrond's tent in concern at this unusual change of plans.

Their return to Lothlorien imminent, Galadriel's surprise was unmistakable as she glided into the tent, followed closely by her husband, Celeborn, both dressed luminously in white. Lillah moved out of the way as the two entered behind the sentinel announcing their arrival, while another set of elves followed directly behind the tall elven couple to stand beside the tent door in silence.

The Galadhrim were frightening elves, stern, soft spoken, their warriors renowned throughout Arda for their intense fighting abilities, for the distances their famous bows could launch an arrow few could match.

Led by the Lady of Light, Lillah could only wonder at the life the elves must lead, living only a short distance from the fires of Mount Doom and Sauron's evil. Defeated now as he was had made peace within reach, yet still, having fought so often for their lands had made the elves of Lorién harder and far more powerful than any others she knew.

Not even Legolas, nor even Elrohir and Elladan, could match the fierce gleam in the eyes of the elves standing at attention beside the door.

Lillah shifted her gaze to Haldir, who was just lifting his head from a bowed greeting to his Lady, his expression full of stubborn determination. She sensed the elleth had already spoken to her captain, her arrival more one of curiosity than necessity in speaking with the March Warden.

Her eyes were full of concern, however, depths of blue brilliance that glittered just as fiercely when the gaze settled on Lillah briefly, then moved to the Master of Rivendell. "My warden has deserted me in favor of you?" Galadriel declared sternly, but her eyes twinkled as she looked once more at Lillah, an elegant brow lifted in question.

Lillah lowered her gaze, unable to meet the piercing sharpness of the Lady of Light's focus, yet felt the thrum of her thoughts clearly in her mind, the questions she sought answered, and her acceptance of Lillah's answers.

Haldir cleared his throat softly. "The need is one we must act upon, my Lady."

"Indeed," Galadriel agreed, smoothing the heavy length of fabric over her wrists, her sleeves draping nearly to the ground. "I do not question the need," she continued, shifting her gaze between her captain and Elrond. "I simply am surprised by the fact my March Warden has volunteered to go, when he has responsibilities to attend to elsewhere."

Haldir did not seem perturbed by the rebuke, rather he smiled faintly, a lift of the corner of his mouth, whereas Elrond frowned severely, his brows furrowed over his aquiline nose.

"If you prefer I can refuse him the journey, Galadriel," Elrond declared softly, but Celeborn moved forward, past his wife and Haldir with a nod in his direction.

"Nay, Elrond." The Lord of Lorién turned to face Lillah and her father, who had risen to stand behind her, gripping her shoulders tightly. "I am well aware of the dangers facing whoever travels to Lillah's home, once held by you, Raen, years ago. A gift, if I remember, from Cirdan for duties served well?"

"Indeed," Raen agreed. "I held the land for so long I'd nearly forgotten it existed." He sighed faintly. "I told Lillah the area was dangerous before the war."

Lillah abruptly rose to her feet. "We were well aware of the costs of living as we did," she said fiercely, sending her father a brief glare. "We were willing to face them and did, for many years. It was only when we thought it safe that we were caught unawares…" Lillah stopped, pressing a hand to her lips, holding in the grief that suddenly took her breath and her words.

Elrond held up a hand. "The issue is simply this, we need to find Rinethel . If Haldir's duties must be met elsewhere . . ."

Celeborn shook his head, as did Galadriel. "His mind is set," she said quietly. "I give him leave to go, for we must protect those of us still alive in this world." Her gaze fixed intently on Haldir as he frowned. "Or save those that can be saved. We have lost too many."

Elrond agreed, as did his sons. Lillah heaved a silent sigh of relief, for somehow, knowing Haldir would travel with them set her mind at ease. They would find Rin, and find him alive.

When all was said and done, their company numbered ten. Haldir, Elrohir and Elladan, Legolas as well as Lillah, and five more wardens from Lorién who had volunteered as quickly as Haldir had, their eyes bright with interest. Fighting orcs had become a way of life for many of Haldir's people, and with the advent of peace –and the lack of such a pastime found them more than willing to accept yet another challenge.

Lillah patted her horse gently, aware of the animal's impatience to be off, as well as his dislike of Haldir's elegant stallion. The horse jerked sharply on the reins, stretching his neck maliciously toward the black but instead found Haldir in his way. The elf cuffed her grey gently under the chin with a sharp command, and to Lillah's surprise, the horse pulled back meekly with a snort.

Legolas grinned beside her, his horse one of the famed Mearas. "Haldir has many talents it seems," the Prince noted with a nod at the March Warden. "Perhaps he will tame you as well," he said teasingly.

Lillah sniffed faintly. "I have no need of taming, by Haldir or anyone else," she scoffed, jerking the reins a bit harder than necessary. Her grey snorted again, dancing sideways into Legolas before leaping forward. The horse's intention to bolt was obvious, but the animal was once again halted from its desires by an elf.

Elrohir hooked his fingers into the horse's halter just as it leaped, bringing the animal's head down to his level. "Patience, my friend. We shall be off soon enough." The ranger looked up at Lillah in concern. "It is one thing to ride the animal wounded and ill, but he senses now that you are well. Are you up to the task of controlling him?"

Lillah had to wonder, yet refused to concede that the animal might be more than she could handle. He did like her after all, and she was sure they would be fine once they were off. "He will be fine," she declared stubbornly. "He just wants to go."

"Indeed," Haldir agreed dryly, riding past her, his cloak draped over the rear of his horse, quiver and bow tied securely to his back. A long curved blade hung at his hip, a weapon she knew that had served him well. He did not wait for them to follow.

Elrohir watched him for a moment in amusement. "He takes the lead wherever he goes, it is in his blood."

Lillah could only agree, urging her horse forward with a tight grip on the reins when Elrohir released him, followed closely by Legolas. The twins mounted behind them on matching ebony mares and then the rest of the elves followed suit, a sizeable group, one well able to defeat any adversary they should meet. She could only hope to find her brother well, avoiding the necessity to fight once more.

She didn't know if she could bear the loss of yet another, especially the elves that surrounded her so tightly. She could only pray that they would remain safe, for their loss to the elven world would be far more terrible than she could imagine.

Haldir rode easily, back straight, relaxed yet distinctly aware of his surroundings. The land was thick with woods, a comfort even though he did not know them well, the trees a shield from a bright sun, the shadows cool and inviting.

He saw much as they passed through the forest: the spirited scrambling of the squirrels over their heads, the brief startled gaze of several deer, as well as the numerous bright eyes that watched them pass with interest. What was missing was the dark shadows of evil that once had been Sauron's mark, the crows and darker minions that had watched for him and passed word of unwary travelers. Nay, that kind was gone, flown to the far corners of the world to, hopefully, pass their days in confusion and disarray.

There were some, however, that remained, the orcs left to prey on the unwary and vulnerable. Left without guidance or leadership, they had become like packs of wild dogs, roaming the wilds, never staying long in one area.

That Lillah's family had been overwhelmed so easily did not set well, his memory of the evil creatures still profoundly unpleasant, the pain of losing his elves to their hatred difficult to bear even this long after the battle of Helm's Deep. But those thoughts and emotions were pushed back, buried deep inside his heart for to dwell on them too long brought a rage he was afraid he could not control, an anger so deep he would lose himself in it and never come back.

It was better to keep those feelings buried, but doing so was getting more difficult the more he stayed near Lillah. Her fear for her brother made him grit his teeth, his jaw aching with tension as he considered just what might have happened to him.

Revenge would not give him any satisfaction, but he could accept the idea that the elf needed to be found and brought back, and accept that he wanted to help do this more than anything else.

A shadow caught his gaze and he turned as Elrohir moved up beside him, the elven ranger smiling as he usually did, all manner of seriousness hidden beneath a façade of humor. That the elf was an exceptional tracker was not readily evident, his gaze rarely on the ground at his feet, but yet the elf could have followed the trail of an ant. Elrohir nodded a greeting, his blue eyes twinkling at some inner amusement, more than likely something regarding Haldir that he found funny.

"So," Elrohir began, shifting on his mount to face Haldir. "Explain how you found our lovely Lalaith among a thousand refugees and decided to save her?"

Haldir glanced blandly at the elf. "She was not difficult to note for she rode while most walked."

"But it was not evident at first that she was ill," Elrohir replied with a lift of his brow.

Haldir shrugged elegantly, shifting his hair from his face as the wind brought several strands across his mouth. "I could see she was in pain, and felt it necessary to go to her. Other than that I cannot, nor intend to explain."

Elrohir grunted softly. "I know that we will get nothing more from you then." He grinned, sending a brief glance back at Lillah behind them. "She is quite tough for an elleth. I have always thought she should have become a ranger, but she met that man and he swept her from us in such a short time we were simply in shock." The elf sighed. "I thought perhaps, one day, I might court her." This brought another inquisitive glance Haldir's way.

Haldir did not respond in any way.

"You are such a trial, Haldir," Elrohir chuckled. "But you see, we have learned enough from Rumil and Orophin to know your silence speaks volumes. Keep your thoughts to yourself as you will, but at some point it will be evident just to whom your eyes are drawn." He nodded sagely, turning his head toward the forest trail again, and then stiffened even as Haldir cursed eloquently, wheeling his horse around to face the elves behind him.

"Orc!" Haldir hissed fiercely.

Lillah stared at him in terror, her eyes wide.

Behind her the Lorien elves had already drawn bows, dismounting at a brief signal from Haldir to fade swiftly into the trees. Elladan caught Lillah's arm as Haldir slid from his horse, gathering the reins of the remaining riderless horses.

Elladan took the reins from Haldir, handing them to Lillah before he too, dismounted. "Get down and stay within the horses, keep them together." The ranger helped Lillah down, catching her briefly as she stumbled.

"Courage, little one, we wouldn't want the March Warden to think you are frightened."

Lillah blinked, biting her lip, her fear evident in every bone of her body, yet she nodded stiffly at Elladan, taking the reins he held out without comment.

Haldir smiled faintly, moving away from the horses into the wood, drawing the attackers from the elves more precious member, knowing the horses would protect Lillah more than she would know. Stalking further into shadows of the wood, he noted the forest had grown quiet, the animals burrowed deep for safety, for even they were not foolish enough to show themselves to creatures to whom dinner was whatever came to hand.

Animals, elves . . . it did not matter to those who were hungry.

Haldir slid up to the edge of a tall oak, fingers brushing the rough reddish bark as he looked carefully around the bole of the tree. Ahead of him, partially hidden by another thick tree sat the brutish form of the orc, hunched over in an attempt to blend into the wood, its head swiveling slowly left to right, nostrils flared as he sniffed the air.

Haldir glanced back to where they had left Lillah, wondering how far Elladan had left her, or as he expected, had only stepped out of her sight, close enough to protect her, but far enough to show her how foolish her choice to join them may have been.

Or perhaps, he mused in amusement, she would face her fear and be stronger for it.

He had a feeling the latter would be the final result.

As long as they took care of the danger facing her first.

A whip'o'whill chirped merrily over his head and Haldir drew his bow, nocking an arrow drawn from his quiver just as smoothly, without notice from the orc just ahead.

An answering call from another bird had him lifting the bow, accepting the lead from the ranger, slowly stretching the finely stretched string between his fingers until his bow creaked from the pressure.

The orc sat up, ears flickering as he looked around warily.

Haldir smiled grimly, focused now on a much better target, and let loose his arrow.

The creature did not even cry out, but tumbled from his perch to land face down in the leaves at his feet.

Haldir grinned at a snort from above him, looking up to find Elrohir sitting on a branch just above his head. "Drawn any slower I might have had time for a nap."

Haldir only shrugged, propping his bow on his shoulder to make his way further into the woods.

*~*

Lillah gripped the reins of ten horses, doubting that she would be able to hold them should they bolt, fear making her sweat in the most uncomfortable places. She ran the back of her hand over her brow, eyes wide to see more than the horses surrounding her, shoving her Grey out of her way to peer into the woods.

It was too quiet, there was not sound to let her know what was happening, just an unnerving silence that told her nothing.

At least they could have made some noise, she thought anxiously, her heart pattering painfully in her chest. She didn't know if she could wait much longer, yet what was she to do? She couldn't go into the wood and to try to drag all those horses . . .

Several of the horses whickered suddenly, shifting to surround Lillah, leaving her blind again, facing only the thick hides of both elven and one princely stallion, who blue eyes watched her intently.

"What? What am supposed to do" she muttered, pushing them away from her, feeling far too confined, yet the horses did not move far, only a step, stubbornly holding their place.

"You would think the elves told you to guard me," she complained further, lifting the heavy tunic she wore away from her chest to cool herself, her nerves so taut she felt brittle.

The Mearas stallion snorted.

"Legolas should send you back to your herd," she declared, staring dismally at the blue-eyed horse. The stallion shook his head, sending silky strands of pale white and yellow dancing over his back.

"Nay," Legolas said, shoving his way through the animals to Lillah's side. "He refuses to go back, now that he has seen what exciting things can happen with me." The prince grinned, lifting Lillah up onto her horse. "The danger has passed."

Lillah blinked down at the handsome elf. "But I heard nothing."

Legolas shrugged, turning as Elladan appeared out of the woods, followed by two of the Lorien elves who carried a set of quivers she recognized as Rinethel's. Lillah gasped, her blood running cold, but Legolas caught her knee in a tight grip, drawing her attention.

"They are only his weapons, nothing more. Have faith they only found them and he is well."

Lillah stared at the arrows, wanting to weep.

A moment later Haldir appeared, along with Elrohir and the remaining elves. They gathered around Lillah, a ring of handsome if stern warriors. Elladan inspected the quivers, brows furrowed much like his father's, his fine features set in a grim expression.

"There is little damage, no mark or blood of any kind."

"There is a chance they may have stolen them," Elrohir suggested, but he did not seem too sure of this at all.

Haldir only frowned, glancing up at Lillah. His gaze held hers, his grey eyes searching , asking questions. Lillah shook her head faintly.

"It is proof only that the two crossed paths at some point, in some way," Haldir stated firmly. "How much farther must we go?"

Elrohir looked at the sky, and then at Lillah. "We have two days yet, at the pace we ride."

Lillah knew then that they had accommodated her. She glared at them all, shifting to gather the reins to her horse from where they lay on his neck. "Then we must ride faster," she declared, jerking her husband's stallion around so sharply the horse sidestepped nearly onto Elladan's foot, and then the horse leaped forward, sensing her impatience, as well as a loosening of his mistress's control.

Lillah gasped, hunched over the stallion's neck as he launched himself over a fallen tree, and then all thought of anything but hanging on blew away on the wind, her hair unfurling behind her as the animal decided it was time to run.

*~*

It took them some time to catch up, Legolas caught her first, the Meara's speed exceptional even after they had all stood for the longest moment in surprise and horror at Lillah's sudden departure. He thundered by Lillah, leaning precariously over the side of his horse to leap onto Lillah's stallion, his arms wrapped around her waist, capturing the reins from her hands.

He jerked hard on the reins, an imperious command to halt the horse could not deny. But the stallion reared in denial of the attempt to control him, but found a firm hand once again on his halter, dragging him down to stand quivering, eyes rolling, in front of Haldir.

The March Warden stared at the animal intently, grey eyes to slowly focusing brown. "Enough."

Lillah blew a deep sigh as the twins rode up, stopping beside her to eye her critically.

"Another stunt like that and you are going back," Elrohir declared sternly.

"Nay, I would say we can just tie her to the horse and send her as a gift to the orcs," Elladan concluded, chin high as Haldir pulled Lillah off her horse.

"We shall do neither," he said. "We will make camp and spend the night at rest. Tomorrow we will move quickly and safely," he continued firmly, "to find Lillah's brother. Until then, I suggest we find a suitable place to defend, for I fear there are yet more orcs roaming the wilds here, and at night, they have the advantage."


	5. Chapter 5

Lillah's Story: Chapter 5

Author: Fianna Leighton LeGrey

Beta: none

Disclaimer: The usual, Tolkien does own rights to LOTR, and I use them with only the greatest respect.

Chapter 5:

The darkness seemed confining, even with the elven ability to see well enough, it still made Lillah uncomfortable, finding the shadows almost lurking behind her, making it difficult to relax. Elrohir was nearby with the horses, Legolas had gone to gather some firewood, while the majority of Lorién elves , including Haldir, had spread out around the perimeter of the camp to watch.

Elladan had gone hunting, but for just what was still not answered for he had not yet returned.

This made her fret even more.

She stared dismally at the fire, hardly big enough to provide much warmth, more for warming water for tea than anything else, nearly hidden by the ring of rocks and logs that circled around it. Lillah shifted, jerking a small stone from where it had poked her uncomfortably, tossing it aside.

"Perhaps you should sigh louder," Elrohir teased, folding himself down beside her as she watched, easing his long frame onto the ground. He picked up the rock she'd tossed, bouncing it in his hand. "I don't think Haldir heard you."

Lillah sniffed and wrapped her arms around her knees. "Why do you pick so?"

The elf lifted a brow and sat up, looking at her curiously. "Do I offend you?"

She glanced at him, measuring his seriousness. "No, but you do go on."

"Do I?" Elrohir mused. "Would it be better if I was stern like my father? Or Haldir?"

Lillah laughed briefly. "Heavens no, your father frightens me still, and Haldir . . .well, Haldir is who he is, I cannot say what makes him behave as he does."

Elrohir stretched back out, crossing his ankles, quite a fetching sight with his long hair brushing the ground as he studied her. "I can tell you some of why he is," the elf said quietly. "But you would still not understand his gravity. Nay, Haldir is, as you say, who is he, just as I am …well… who I am, with another not so different." He grinned, winking at her as she laughed.

"But I must tell you I worry about you both," he added after a moment.

She peered at him curiously. "You – worry?"

Elrohir made a face. "Aye, I worry, perhaps not that you can see," he teased. "But surely, I do. What are we to do when a fair elleth such as you has had to lose all that you care for. I cannot imagine the pain you must have felt. Yet," he paused, his expression grim, "yet I can, for I have only to look at Haldir to see the same emotion."

"That has been said before," Lillah replied.

"Indeed," Elrohir agreed. "You know of his trials in that fight, do you not?"

She nodded faintly.

"Ah, but do you realize how closely our famed March Warden came to death? In fact, Aragorn thought him gone, leaving him to lie among the dead on the rampart wall, while he had to return to the fighting." Elrohir frowned, marring his smooth brow. "Had not one of the Rohirrim remarked later to Aragorn, with Legolas near, it was odd to know someone had closed the elf's eyes that the two were struck by such a horrific thought they ran to where they had left him, not yet borne to the graves of the dead."

Lillah stared at Elrohir both horrified and entranced by his tale.

Elrohir shrugged casually, but his eyes had grown dark with the memory. "Had they not, Haldir may have been buried alive, wounded gravely that he was barely living as it was, but indeed alive."

Lillah sighed, her heart constricted at the thought. "But they found him then."

"Aye, and here he is, healed in body, yet not so fully in mind."

She blinked, confused as Elrohir sat up again to poke a stick at the tiny fire. "So why do you worry?"

"I worry that he will never be able to let go of his pain and that such a lovely elleth as you may not be enough to turn him from a melancholy and desperate path."

She did not know how to respond to that, for neither she nor Haldir had made any move in such a direction, even though she was deeply attracted to him, and fought that feeling as surely as she reveled in it. How different it seemed - this growing admiration for the elf, the comfort she felt when he was near -the warmth his gaze could ignite. What would it be like if he was interested, if she knew he looked at her . . . but no, she could not go there, he did not.

Elrohir's brows had risen, his silence measured as he watched her closely. "You cannot hide it."

She stared at the fire, her face suddenly heated. She was acting like a elfling, all giddy and hot. She was far beyond such things, she had married a man and had lost him. She had far more serious things to dwell on than her attraction to a very handsome elf.

She sighed again, resting her head on her knees as Elrohir chuckled. "It is not that bad, Lillah."

"Nay, but I cannot feel such things for someone so soon, Elrohir."

"Why can you not?" he declared. He leaned close to her side. "What better way to heal your heart than to give it to someone again?"

She looked up at him. "Why are you telling me this?"

Elrohir sighed this time. "Because you do not look at me like you do Haldir." He chuckled. "Besides, Haldir is far too fun to tease when his eye is set on someone, and better yet," Elrohir picked up her hand and kissed it. "It will draw him from the deep depression I have seen him carry on those broad shoulders of his." Elrohir grinned and then leaped to his feet. "Ah, it is about time, brother, I had thought perhaps you had returned to Imladris!"

Elladan strode into the camp carrying a couple of rabbits. "I would have been back sooner, but I tracked a small party of orcs south along the ridge line. I have told the others, and we are safe enough tonight," Elladan nodded at Lillah. "Tomorrow, however, we will travel much the same route, and I would rather find them before they find us."

"Indeed," Elrohir agreed, setting off with his brother to clean the rabbits.

Lillah watched them disappear toward the nearby stream, knowing there were others near, but still, the darkness once again seemed to close in, leaving her shivering near the fire.

~*~

She woke before dawn, the sky purple with stars, the moon just a glow behind the trees as it sank toward the horizon. Surprised, she blinked, finding an elf lying so near beside her that she could have touched him. Legolas lay on his back, his eyes open as he stared up into the sky, hands folded over his chest. He turned his head, lifting his fingers to place them over his lips for silence, gesturing with a faint nod behind her.

Lillah sat up carefully, shifting to find Haldir behind her, asleep, with one arm tossed over his eyes. He lay with one knee bent, his other hand twisted into the fabric of his cloak, his dreams clearly not restful at all.

Legolas touched her shoulder. "He held watch for most the night until Elrohir forced him to lie down."

Lillah pressed her hand against her chest, her heart pounding at the thought of him lying so close, wanting only to smooth the silken strands from his forehead as he slept.

Legolas grunted softly, sitting up. "He rarely sleeps near anyone these days, and refuses to admit he dreams the nightmares he does, but Elladan had to wake him twice for he does not rest at all, but surely replays that nightmare we all try to forget."

She glanced at the Mirkwood elf with a frown. "He would not like you to speak of it."

"Nay," Legolas agreed. "And I do not often do so. I will get some tea, and bring you and Haldir some, for he should wake shortly for he never sleeps past the dawn."

The elf fluidly rose to his feet, leaving her to sit staring at the sleeping warden.

He was not sleeping, however, she noted after a moment, for his hand had relaxed among the folds of his cloak, and she could see a glint of silver beneath his lashes, nearly hidden beneath his arm.

"Do you want to know what I dream as well?" he asked gruffly.

Lillah shook her head, she could imagine it too well. "Nay, Haldir, we meant no disrespect."

He snorted faintly. "I do not need your pity either. Do not stare so."

Lillah smiled, leaning forward toward the elf. "Why not? Can I not admire the handsome elf at my side, who lies beside me obviously to protect me should any orcs leap out from the wood."

She liked the twitch that curved his lips briefly.

"Besides, March Warden, it is not often one gets a chance to stare at so revered an elf, such a fine specimen of elven virility that I cannot simply resist."

He sat up. "Enough, I do not need your fabrications either."

Lillah laughed, touching his arm as he ran a hand through his hair. "Perhaps not, but spoken truthfully I assure you. Perhaps you might allow me to braid your hair," she said, looking up at him demurely. "You have um . . . tangled it, it is – " She gestured, trying not to giggle. "Askew."

Haldir frowned reaching up to check only to smile. "Indeed, a sleepless night does that often I fear. Your touch may be gentler than my brother's who seem to enjoy the pain they can cause."

Lillah moved behind him as he shifted to sit cross–legged, fingers folded under his chin. "Brothers tend to do things like that," she agreed, sifting the silver strands through her fingers. She heard him sigh contentedly as she rubbed the back of his head.

"You may do that for some time," he muttered.

Legolas approached the two of them, carrying two cups, which he handed to Haldir. "Ah, it is unfair, March Warden, to earn such services. I am next!" he declared with a grin, although the prince's braids were, as usual, pristine.

Haldir only smiled into his tea while Lillah deftly braided his hair.

"Tell me about your brother," Haldir said a few moments later.

Lillah paused in her braiding, hands frozen in mid air. "Rin?" she replied and then blinked. She laughed, resuming her work. "He is older than I by some years, protective as all older brothers must be."

"Indeed," Haldir agreed, hands folded once more under his chin. "It is an unavoidable necessity for older brothers."

Lillah laughed, but then sobered at the memories sweeping her thoughts. "He was so angry that I chose to leave, that I chose a mortal man to love. Yet he could not deny me the chance to do as I wanted. I missed him terribly all those years, for he did not visit but once."

"A painful occasion for both of you," Haldir said knowingly.

"Aye," Lillah agreed, tying the final length of Haldir's hair with a sigh. "But I have not seen him since. I do not even know if he has bonded anyone, or even what he does for Elrond."

"He is a ranger," Elrohir explained, crossing the camp to pull Haldir to his feet, and then Lillah. "And that is why I do not fear for his life. He knows the orcs and the land. We will find him well." Elrohir nodded at Haldir, eying his hair with a wicked smile, while Haldir ignored him.

Elrohir leaned next to Lillah. "I think we should make you a ranger as well, you have been able to soothe such as one as he. I would send you into a den of bears after such a feat!"

Lillah kicked his ankle and went to find her horse.

~*~

They followed the trail of the orcs for several leagues until it disappeared among the rocky terrain of the valley before them. Haldir held them back, grimly staring at the hills.

"We cannot follow, there is too much advantage for them to hide and then ambush us."

Elrohir had dismounted, crouching to stare at the valley, reins in hand with a sour expression. "We cannot just let them go, March Warden."

"Our mission is not to hunt orc, Elrohir, but to find Rinethel. To that end, we must give up the chase and return to our former path."

Elladan nodded. "Agreed, but we must ride warily, for the orcs are ever wily creatures and may have led us on a chase only to circle back behind us."

Haldir must have had similar thoughts for he frowned deeply with a glance at Lillah. "How far does your land yet lie?"

She stared at the hills. She had passed these valleys before. "Our home lay beyond the second ridge. We often quarried here for stones for the village."

Elladan shifted to speak quietly to Haldir. "This journey will end well, I have no concern of that for Rinethel, but for Lillah, in that I worry."

Haldir stared past the ranger, his gaze on Lillah as she studied the hills. "As do we all, Elladan. We must go on, however. She will lead us even with the pain."

Elladan's brows drew together in concern- his handsome face a grim echo of Haldir's feelings. "Aye, that she will. She is a strong elleth, our Lalaith. You would do well to remember that once she is again herself."

Haldir blinked and looked curiously at the Rivendell elf. "I would expect her to be nothing less than what I have seen so far."

An amused smile curved Elladan's lips. "You have not seen Lillah, as she likes to call herself now, as the happy and vivacious elf she once was. You should have seen what it was that drew the mortal to her side. She is a star amid the heavens, one that blinks so brightly you cannot help but be drawn to her light."

Haldir smiled. "I have seen it, and felt it, Elladan. I shall look forward to when she can glow once more with happiness."

He moved away, and did not see the grin Elladan flashed at his brother.

~*~

Lillah knew returning to the farm would be painful. Each step closer, traveled much the same as she had only recently fled, brought a familiar stab in her chest, a deep ache that made it difficult once more to breathe.

This time, however, she was not alone, she did not have to bear the grief without support, no longer the steel rod she had forced herself to be, but instead, an elleth with many hearts that bore her pain as surely as she did.

It comforted her to know they felt it so keenly from where they stood on the low ridge that overlooked what remained of her previous life.

"It is as you said, nothing but ashes," Legolas remarked, his gaze glinting icily as he looked at the wreckage below them.

Lillah nodded, unwilling to trust her voice, her throat thick with grief.

Haldir urged his horse down the steep bank, scattering rocks and gravel in a dusty cloud that nearly concealed the horse's hooves. Legolas followed, his striking knives criss-crossed on his back, blond hair bright against the dark green of his cloak.

Lillah could not yet manage her grief, and sat frozen, as her husband's horse waited, unmoving beneath her. Did he also remember? She knew he did - his affection for her husband always evident when they were near each other.

Elrohir moved beside her, as did Elladan. "You did not have to come," Elrohir declared in a soft voice, his blue eyes mirrors of his brother's concern.

Lillah blinked back the tears that threatened to fall. "Nay, not true, my friend. I had to come, to say good-bye."

Both twins nodded. "A farewell, although sad, Lillah, but still one with a future of much more than grief."

She sighed deeply. "At some point, yes. I will not say or even profess to know when it shall pass, but I have many to help comfort me." She gave them both a sad smile. "And knowing you, 'twill not be long before you prod and poke."

Elrohir reached out to pat her knee. "You have only to profess your love for me and I shall keep my twin from doing such teasing."

"Nay," Elladan argued, capturing her hand to kiss her palm. "She will love me more."

Lillah laughed, and pulled her hand free. "I love neither of you scoundrels, so leave me be. I shall endure." She urged her horse down the hill, but did not miss the chuckle from both elves behind her.

~*~

The twin's levity faded as quickly as it had come, their horses held back as they studied the remains of the barn. Dark haired and tall, they were duplicates, both faces expressionless, emotions hidden behind a stern façade that reminded the others of just who they were descended from.

Legolas circled the ashes, his blue eyes glinting still, mouth a thin line as he inspected what remained of the shelter where Lillah had dragged her kin.

Lillah stood in front of where the door would have been, hand clutched tightly to the folds of her cloak, holding it closed as if to ward off the memories that assailed her so violently.

The images slammed into her mind, both treasured and horrendous, times of joy and that of such sorrow she could not stop the tear that ran down her cheek.

Her husband, so fair, yet so mortal now in her mind, his life taken so quickly she hardly had time to really know him. The family that had accepted her without thought, kind and caring, a family she could not save from death. The orcs rushing toward them over the wall, axes and swords brandished high, laughing even as they killed.

The pain tore through her as keenly as it had before while her resolve to face it stoically fled, leaving her trembling, unable to stand. Lillah sank to her knees, and would have laid on the ground weeping but for the hand that caught her chin. Haldir knelt in front of her on one knee, his grey eyes searching hers even as she wept.

"Will you allow it to destroy you?" he asked.

"I should not have come," she said. "I thought I could bear it, but the pain is too great, Haldir."

"It is hard to bear, but you must accept what has happened and move on."

"Have you done so?" she hissed.

He drew back slightly, chin high. "I have. It is not an easy task, Lillah, but one you must face every day. Had I not, I would have been consumed by the anger of my loss long ago." He let go of her, rising to his feet. The wind swirled around them, bringing the smell of ashes, of death. It seemed to wrap around them both, fluttering the ends of the warden's cloak, lifting her hair to brush across her cheek like a grisly caress.

Haldir held out his hand. "Face it, accept it hurts, deeply, but then let it go, as much as you can."

She held her breath, nearly mesmerized by the shadows haunting Haldir's gaze. It was not easy, even for him. She released the pent up breath, taking his hand so he could lift her to her feet. The other elves watched them, expressions impassive, yet she knew they understood. She let go of the anchor that was Haldir's fingers with a shaky sigh, and then brushed away the tendrils of hair from her cheek.

"The orcs came from there," she said, pointing to a rocky hillside behind the main walls of the farm.

*~*

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

Title: Lillah's Story

Author: Fianna Leighton LeGrey

Disclaimer: Rating R, for general adult themes… and yes, I write this for my own satisfaction in seeing Haldir do what he does best, whether in Tokien's writings or my own. Tolkien may have created Haldir, but we have made him the elf he is here.

Chapter 6:

Haldir watched Lillah, keeping a few steps from her as she walked around the farm. She touched things with a gentle hand - a broken wall, the well - always silent, her expression filled with sorrow. Legolas and the twins had moved beyond the walls, searching for any tracks that might have been Rinethel's, for surely the elf had reached the farm in search of his sister.

The rest of the Lorién wardens stood guard around the perimeter of the small meadow where the farm sat. Hills surrounded the stone buildings, rocky ground interspersed with small trees and bushes, a land that had hidden their danger well.

Lillah stopped and folded her arms over her chest. "Did you ever go back?"

Haldir took a moment to answer. "No, I have not had the opportunity."

She did not look at him. "Will you go?"

"Yes, when I can, if only to exorcize the demons that haunt me still."

She reached out to place her hands on his chest. "And will that help? Will it clear your mind of the horrors?"

Haldir shook his head. "Nay, but it is something I must do. You have faced your demons, have they fled?"

She looked down. He could feel her trembling. "They are still there," she whispered, her voice thin. "I do not think I have the strength you do, Haldir."

He closed his eyes for a moment and then gently rested his hands on her shoulders. "You are far stronger than you think. I will do what I can to help you."

She shivered beneath his hands. "You have already done so much. Why?"

He smiled, wondering the same. "Perhaps it is the Valar's way of helping us both to heal."

Her lips curved briefly, and then formed into a small pout. He nearly laughed. "Is that all?"

"Do you want it to be more than that?" he replied, arching a brow. Did the attraction he felt come only from a need to help her heal, or was it more? There was only one way to find out.

She blushed, her gaze hidden suddenly by her lowered lashes. "Perhaps, but only if the feeling is shared."

Amused, he caught one of her hands and brought it to his lips. "It is shared, Lillah." He kissed her palm and then moved away, leaving her standing alone amid the ruins.

~*~

Legolas sank down on one knee, fingers probing the ground at his feet. The tracks were minute, most of them brushed away, intentionally he was sure, by the one who had made them. He glanced around him, noting the twins stood a few feet further up the hill, arguing quietly.

"What have you found?" Legolas asked. The two elves turned their heads to look at him.

"We are not sure."

Legolas rose to his feet. He climbed toward them, and then stopped to look at the valley below. Haldir was further down, no longer hovering near Lillah. She seemed better, her tears no longer flowing. Whatever had passed between them had settled her emotions somewhat, for which Legolas was thankful. Dealing with weeping elleths was not something he was used to. Haldir seemed to have things well in hand, as if it were nothing unusual.

Legolas bent down beside the twins, noting the same kind of trail he had just seen. The two stared at each other, no doubt in a more silent communication at his arrival. "There are more such tracks further down. Whoever made them did not want them seen."

Elladan nodded in agreement, while Elrohir frowned.

"Why hide the tracks?" Elrohir demanded, waving his hand at the sparse growth around him. "It was merely luck that we found them. A rain would have washed any sign away quickly enough."

"But it has not, and we have found them," Elladan argued. "The orcs are not stupid."

Elrohir scowled. "No?" he said testily.

Legolas rested a hand on the elf's shoulder. The two would argue just for the sake of arguing. "By hiding the tracks, if not completely, then it signals something else. Someone wanted to hide them, yet…" He scanned the area carefully.

Elladan pointed toward the hill. "Wiped away, but not so well that I cannot see the path they took. It is as if they still wanted to be followed."

"Indeed," Legolas agreed. "And just who would want that?"

"Orcs," Elrohir declared, but he rose to his feet, moving up the hill to follow the tracks.

Elladan grinned. "Either way, we have a quarry to seek. Orc or Rin, each would be a welcome sight."

Legolas agreed, but hoped it would be the elf, for Lillah's sake. Another fight with the nemesis of her memories would only make it harder for her to move on. Yet, such things were part of their lives. The enemy would always be present, even in this new age. They would all have to move on, not knowing just what this new life would bring.

~*~

Haldir moved away from the buildings, hidden from those on the hill above by the remains of the outer wall. He could see the proof of Lillah's tale - the scuffling footprints of the orcs, the mark of a sword slashed across the dirt. There was still the faint discoloration of blood, the track of the bodies dragged by an elleth who should not have had to do so. He knelt down, tracing the line of one of the tracks, gripping the bow in his hand with a deep sense of injustice.

The war had been won.

The victors had returned to homes left unattended for months, with the hardship of winter to face and worse, had they but known it.

Had his elves known they would not return? He knew they understood the odds they faced, and yet they had followed him. Followed him – for it was by choice that he had led them, accepting both Elrond and Galadriel's offer to go, if done reluctantly by both.

He had known the odds just as well, and had chosen to aid Rohan anyways, just as Lillah had chosen a life that would only lead to heartache for her, just as Arwen had only recently done as well.

Why? Why would they desire to face such things? For glory? For love? Were they similar, or was it as he had explained to Galadriel when he had said yes. It was something he had to do, a destiny he could not avoid. The Lady of Light had accepted his explanation, but with a sad smile that made him wonder if she had seen his end.

Had she seen this day as well?

It did not really matter, for he, as agreed, was here searching for something more than just a lost elven ranger. He was searching for his soul, his sanity – attached at times only by a thread when the dreams overtook him, when all he could see was death and destruction. He clenched his fist, forcing his thoughts back to the task at hand, and then pushed himself to his feet.

He turned away from the tracks leading into the small compound and wished then he had not.

Another set of tracks led away from the farm, a set clearly marked on the dry soil, prints made by a struggling set of feet, their owner unable to break free of the creatures that had held him so securely. Haldir followed the trail slowly, his gaze searching for clues and finding them unerringly, with a sinking heart.

The trail led him into a sparse set of trees set at what had been the edge of a field still in the midst of planting. The implements of the farm lay scattered where they had been dropped, left behind as the family had run for safety. He left the field behind, entering the wood, his nerves taut as he continued to follow the trail.

What he found at the end was not pleasant and he could only thank the Valar that Lillah had not been with him. He crouched down, carefully reaching out to dislodge the pendent still visible beneath the torn tunic stiff with dried blood.

A scatter of rocks made him sigh, knowing who had come to an abrupt halt behind him.

"A ranger," the elf said. "Rinethel?"

"I do not know," Haldir replied. "You will not mention this to Lillah until I can speak to Elrohir and Elladan."

Haldir turned to look at his warden, who nodded, touching his heart. "As you command. Shall I bury him?"

"Nay, we shall burn him as Lillah did the others. Search the vicinity for anyone else."

The elf bowed and then moved further into the wood.

Haldir gently pulled the pendant free, gripping it tightly inside his fist and then rose to find the twins.

He found them - but not where he would have liked.

Lillah stood beside them, along with Legolas, as the three elves argued.

They all turned when Haldir approached.

"Have you found something," Elrohir demanded.

Haldir looked at Lillah for a moment, and then answered Elrohir with a question. "Why do you argue?'

Elrohir frowned and glanced at his brother. "There are tracks that may be Orcs, they are too muddled to tell, and Elladan does not want to follow them."

Haldir could only grimace. "It is possible."

Elladan snorted. "We cannot risk following when there are so few of us. Besides, we have not found any other signs that point to Rinethel even being here."

Haldir held out his hand to Elladan, aware of Lillah's interest in what he held. He placed the pendent into the ranger's hand without speaking.

The color drained from Lillah's face, but she reached out, placing her hand over Elladan's, forcing him to turn it to reveal the pendent Haldir had given him.

Elrohir covered his eyes for a moment, while Elladan only blinked slowly. Lillah, however, only breathed a deep sigh of relief.

"It is not Rin's."

"Nay," Elrohir agreed. "It is Tindel's. He and Rinethel traveled much together."

"He is dead," Haldir said quietly. "They were here, and may still be, somewhere."

They all turned to look at the faint trail. Lillah stepped forward, hand gripping her cloak tightly. "The ridge runs that way, riddled with caves and the like, until it falls sharply into a small glacial lake."

"It is possible then that Rinethel and his companions are still alive, perhaps hidden," Legolas suggested.

"There were only three," Elladan said, nodding at Haldir. "And now we search for only two."

"Then we must follow the tracks, to whatever they lead," Elrohir insisted. He pushed past Legolas and made his way up the ridge.

~*~

Elrohir left the others behind, knowing they would follow. The trail was faint, forcing him to move slowly. The clues were scattered, with much of the tracks swept away, done well enough to defy even his tracking skills.

Yet clues were left so openly at times, it made him feel certain that it was done to lead them along, too well done to be the work of any orc. He knew Rinethel and recognized the trail for what it was, a game played by all rangers in training, a game to teach them both to track and to hide their passage as well.

Even Lillah had played the game.

Haldir moved past him, pausing in front of a set of trees twisted so tightly together it was hard to see where one trunk began and the others ended. Set within the intertwined branches was an odd collection of leaves and sticks.

He reached out to touch them curiously, but found a hand on his arm.

"It is a hint," Lillah said, her eyes suddenly bright.

Haldir looked at her curiously, while Elrohir studied the trees. "Aye, she is right. Can you understand it?"

Lillah grinned, pointing to the leaves lying on top. "Most would not see the pattern, thinking the sticks and leaves blown there by the wind."

Haldir agreed with a nod. "But you see what they want you to see."

Lillah turned to face Haldir. "I am not a ranger, Haldir. But I did play with my brother enough to know him intimately."

Elrohir shrugged when Haldir looked at him. "She knows him well, I see nothing but sticks – if ones set purposely."

Lillah shoved her way through them, looking up at the rising hill beside them. "He is up there somewhere, not far. I know it."

Elrohir hoped he was still alive.

~* ~

They moved up the hill, a row of careful steps looking for the next clue, with Legolas finding it first, a bent branch pointing further up the ridge. Elrohir found the next, scratched on the base of a branch. Haldir hid his concern, but kept Lillah within reach.

Elladan found the cave.

Haldir caught Lillah's waist as she lunged forward, holding her back as the others surged up the hill. Elladan pushed aside the bushes that had hidden the opening and ducked inside. He returned in a moment, expression grim, but with good news.

"We have found him – alive."

Lillah broke free, climbing up to the cave quickly, shoving her way past Elladan. Haldir followed her inside the cave. Rinethel lay on the floor near the door, pale but alive, struggling to sit up as the others joined them. Lillah flew to his side, kneeling beside him to wrap his cold hands in hers.

"Rin," she cried, holding his hand to her cheek.

Haldir crouched beside her, brushing his fingers over the elf's brow. "He is feverish," Haldir said. Rinethel coughed weakly, lying back on the floor, while Haldir shifted, moving his hands down the elf, eyes closed. "He has a few ribs broken, and his left leg, but he is alive, Lillah."

She bent over her brother, weeping, as he stirred beneath her. Elladan lifted the ranger up to give him some water, while Elrohir continued further into the cave.

Rinethel coughed again, gasping as the fluid ran down his chin. "I cannot believe it. Elves!"

Lillah sat up, holding his hand against her chest. "It is me, Rin, Lalaith!"

The elf blinked blearily, sagging back against Elladan. "How can you be alive, I thought you dead."

She shook her head, unable to speak. Haldir helped Elladan lay the elf back, hand pressed to his brow. "She is well. What happened to you?"

Rinethel grimaced weakly, his face pale. "Ambushed. The orcs watch this place closely, we thought all dead, forced into the buildings to be burned." He coughed, gasping as he crossed his arms over his ribs. Elladan gave him more water. After a moment, he seemed better. Haldir removed his hand from Rinethel's brow, the flow of energy already brightening the elf's cheeks.

"We fought the first group, and thought it done, only another came from over the ridge. We defeated them as well, but in the process I was wounded, attacked by three, my leg broken." He gripped Elladan's tunic, pulling the elf closer. "We were only three, Elladan, but we survived the second assault, if barely. I could not travel, it was too dangerous, I …" He dropped his hand, lying back against Elladan's arms. "I could not fight, nor could Larion. He fell to the blade of one of the orcs, wounded gravely, yet alive."

Elladan frowned, looking up as Elrohir reappeared, his brother's face pale. Elrohir shook his head.

Haldir scowled, and stood up, shoving a hand into his hair as the ranger continued to speak.

"Tindel went for help," Rinethel continued hoarsely. "But he has not returned; I think him dead."

"He is gone," Haldir said. "We have, at least, found you."

Rinethel nodded faintly, his gaze on his sister, but then it shifted to Haldir, eyes narrowed as he tried to sit up. Elladan gripped his shoulder gently.

"You know of Haldir," Elladan said softly.

Rinethel's eyes widened. "My sister brings a surprising escort." He coughed again, gasping as Elladan forced him to be still. "Lorien elves and the twins of Rivendell. Who else has she managed to bewitch this day."

Elrohir chuckled, crouching on one knee beside the ranger. "Legolas rounds out our list, Rin. She has excellent taste in guardians."

"Indeed," Rinethel choked, laughing weakly. "I am in excellent company."

"You are sick," Lillah chided, brushing a hand over his brow. "Haldir can heal you well enough to travel to get you home."

"Ah," Rinethel replied, blinking wearily. "You speak of him as if you know this well."

Haldir bent over him, touching the elf's brow with his fingers. "She does, now relax, you are very weak."

Rinethel nodded faintly and settled back against Elladan's knees. A faint chirping drew Haldir's head up sharply.

Elladan grunted, sliding out from beneath Rinethel, while Elrohir rushed toward the cave's opening. Legolas beat him outside, leaping down the hillside nimbly, bow drawn from his shoulder, an arrow nocked before he took three steps.

Haldir turned to face Lillah from the doorway. "Orcs, Lillah."

She gasped, clutching Rinethel's hand tightly. "What must I do?"

Haldir glanced outside and then back at Lillah.

"She can use my bow," Rinethel said, struggling to sit up. "Nay, mine is gone, left on my horse. Take Larion's, it lies there," he said, pointing to a shadowy corner of the cave.

"You can shoot?" Haldir asked, scanning the hillside outside again.

"I have not in years," Lillah began, but Rinethel waved his hand impatiently.

"You can well enough," he said. "I will remind you of what you need to do."

Lillah snorted, startled when Haldir handed her a slim dagger he pulled from his boot. "Use this if necessary, and the bow. Shoot well, focus on the neck, between the eyes."

Lillah stared at him in shock as he crossed back to the doorway.

"You are not going to stay?"

Haldir smiled grimly. "Someone has to protect the horses." He moved outside, with Lillah following quickly. The twins were gone, but he could see Legolas in the distance, standing on a jagged part of the wall, bow drawn. Haldir touched Lillah's chin briefly. "Aim true. You will not get many chances if they get past us. Remember, these are the creatures that killed your husband."

He turned away, moving swiftly down the hill, unwilling to look back.

~*~

"Keep your arm up," Rinethel hissed weakly from behind her. Lillah scowled at him and then faced the hillside, searching the wood for the elves. She could not see the twins, or any of the Lorién wardens, but Legolas was still on his perch in the village, and Haldir was gathering the horses who were decidedly nervous.

She pulled the arrows from the quiver, poking them into the ground at her feet. The bow was longer than hers was, matched to the elf's height, but not so long that she could not draw it back. She caressed the wood absently, nervously watching for signs of the orcs. Perhaps Haldir was mistaken, she thought. She had not seen any the last time they had fought, and had since wondered if they had said there were some to frighten her into submitting to their decisions.

She gritted her teeth, annoyed at the thought.

Below her, the bushes shivered and a flock of birds rose from the trees, wings beating in a loud rush as they screeched angrily at being disturbed.

Lillah gripped the bow tightly, nocking an arrow just in case.

"You haven't practiced have you?"

"I had no need, Rin. There were plenty to stand guard. Few bothered us here."

"Yet you had training, and being alone in a small holding in the mountains, you did not see the need to keep up your skills."

Lillah turned to face her brother only to find him smiling, blue eyes lit with amusement. "You are wretched, Rinethel, to tease so at a time like this."

"When you are wishing you had taken up your bow?" he asked, only to cough violently for several minutes. Lillah nearly set the weapon down to go to him, but he held up a hand, rolling to lie on his side. "I am fine," he said hoarsely. "You must pay attention, Haldir was not joking."

Lillah turned back to the woods. "I am sorry."

"For what, sister?"

"For making you come for me."

"I would have done so no matter. I have missed you and the thought that you had perished, burned…." He groaned loudly. "I have lain here for days with such thoughts that I nearly went mad. And now I cannot aid you should an orc defeat the elves below."

Lillah sniffed. "If they do I will be terribly disappointed."

Rinethel chuckled softly. "You have high expectations of your escort."

"And you do not?"

Rinethel only snorted, whatever more he might have said lost to Lillah as her eyes widened at the creature appearing below her on the hill. He saw her just as she spotted him, the orc's gaze narrowing as he quickly lifted his bow.

The arrow skipped off the rocks beside Lillah. She ducked a second volley and then pulled back Larion's bow.

"Keep your elbow up, you always drop your elbow," Rinethel complained.

Lillah ignored him and let loose her arrow. The shaft arched gracefully down the hill, while the orc straightened only to fly backwards as the arrow struck him hard in the chest, through the thin leather jerkin he wore to leave him lying still in the leaves.

Lillah breathed a sigh of relief, her gaze searching for the other elves and unable to find them.

Another orc appeared beside the other, head lifted to gaze up the hill.

Lillah squeaked in alarm and drew another arrow from the group at her feet. She drew back quickly, aiming down the shaft and let go, but the arrow streaked off to the left, while the orc laughed, scrambling up hill.

Rinethel pulled himself across the floor of the cave, dragging his leg until he could see the edge of the hillside. Lillah had nocked another arrow, her hands shaking as the orc drew closer. That too went astray and she nearly wept.

"You dropped your elbow," Rinethel declared, handing her another arrow. "Pull back, elbow up…"

Lillah drew the bow back but her hands were shaking and the arrow went high.

"I cannot do this," she cried. "We are lost, just as we were before."

Rinethel struggled to sit, catching the hem of her tunic. "Nay, you have the best of elves down there. Draw Lillah, and concentrate."

She knew she didn't have much more time, the orc was sliding closer, hiding behind the rocks just below the cave opening.

She nocked another arrow, waiting for the orc to pop up again.

He did, but the arrow impaling him came from behind, and below. Legolas lowered his bow, fair hair tangled in his quiver. The orc lay sprawled over the rocks.

Rinethel grinned weakly. "See, you had nothing to worry about."

Lillah could only sigh, sitting abruptly on the ground beside him.

Rinethel rolled onto his back with a groan. "So, tell me about how you managed to gather the premier elves of Arda to come search for me, a simple ranger."

Lillah laughed, shoving a length of hair from her face with a shaking hand. "That, my brother, is a long tale."

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

Title: Lillah's Story Chapter 7

Author: Fianna Leighton (LeGrey)

Note: I must thank everyone for being patient for this last chapter. Things went to hell at home, with a terrible death in our family I am still struggling with. Hopefully those events are not reflected too horribly here. I have also been finishing up my work on my novel to be published shortly by Red Rose Publishing. Another sword and sorcery tale of elves that are so dear to my heart. Seruthoron will remind you much of the March Warden.

I will post the next chapter as soon as I can.

Chapter 7:

The elves carried Rinethel down from the cave to lay amid the remains of Lillah's home, leaving Haldir and Elrohir to tend him while the rest either kept watch or set up camp. Lillah would have preferred not to stay inside the ruins, but Haldir had insisted that even with just a partial wall around them, it was still safer than being out in the open.

Rinethel agreed, if weakly, holding on, it seemed, by a thread. He sighed deeply when Haldir finally put him to sleep, the pain lines etching his forehead slipping away.

"Can you heal him?" Lillah asked Haldir, kneeling beside her brother as the March Warden pressed his hands along Rinethel's body.

"I have done what I can, but he is too weak to completely heal him. Elrohir will add to his strength, but I do not want to jeopardize his ability to fight off any infection by exhausting him with the tax required to heal the broken bones."

Lillah shivered at the thought. She could well remember the pain healing caused, and the exhaustion one felt afterwards. She could only imagine what Haldir had gone through in his recovery.

Haldir looked up from his perusal of her brother, grey eyes searching hers. "He will be fine, Lillah."

She smiled at the elf. "I have no doubt, Haldir, because it is you healing him."

The March Warden snorted softly and looked back at Rinethel, but she caught the faint smile that had curved his lips.

**

Elrohir stood on the edge of the broken wall, fingers resting lightly on the hilt of his sword, head cocked as he listened to the night sounds around him. Nothing amiss, or out of place, yet he could not ignore the sense of danger that seemed to stalk the night.

They had done what they could to ease Rinethel and the elf slept on under the influence of Haldir's magic, as well as his own healing ability in reverie. Lillah lay beside him, fingers tucked into the crook of Rinethel's arm, while Haldir guarded them from a short distance away. The March Warden sat filing an edge to a blade already beyond sharp, his grey eyes scanning the area intently.

Elladan had moved further out into the rocky hills but Elrohir could sense no concern from his brother. Legolas sat on the top of the wall, legs folded, his bow at his knee, pensively staring out into the hills.

The remaining Lorién wardens could not be seen, but Elrohir knew they were out there.

It would take some days to get Rinethel back to Minas Tirith, even partially healed; riding with the broken leg would be painful. That increased their danger from attack.

The orcs already knew they were there.

Elrohir did not doubt they would return, but hoped it would not be with injury to bear.

He sighed and shifted to a more comfortable position. He didn't mind fighting orcs, but having Lillah among them made him wish they were back in Imladris instead. She had seen enough death.

**

Lillah woke sore and stiff from the cold. She sat up gingerly, rubbing her neck and saw that Rinethel was still sleeping peacefully. She brushed off the weight of the cloak over her and realized that Haldir had placed his cloak over hers once again, offering her the warmth she was sure he could have used himself. She looked for him and found the March Warden a few feet away also asleep, again with an arm resting over his eyes.

Did he dream still, she wonder? Did fighting the orcs again bring back the horrors he had seen at Helm's Deep, or did they ease the nightmares as a measure of revenge? She rose to her feet and stepped over Rinethel to crouch next to Haldir.

A foolish move had she thought about it, for he sat up instantly and clamped a hand around her wrist, jerking her so fast beneath him she did not even have time to do more than gasp. He leaned over her, his silver hair falling over her chest, grey eyes glittering like ice.

"Foolish, Lillah. I might have thought you were an orc."

She shivered at the chill in his voice, the intensity so deeply ingrained. A foolish move, indeed, she thought, but one that had interesting results. Haldir blinked slowly, his gaze sliding over her as he lay sprawled partially on top of her. She knew interest when she saw it gleaming in his eyes, and in the curve of his mouth.

She hoped he might kiss her, but instead Haldir only grunted and sat up, releasing her wrist.

"We will leave shortly, you should prepare."

He rose to his feet and strode rapidly away from her until he was lost amid the mists floating over the ground.

Lillah sighed briefly and sat up, tossing a length of hair from her face.

Rinethel was awake and leaning on his arm, blue eyes twinkling. "The elf has amazing control."

Lillah smiled. "So tell me how to make him lose it."

Rinethel laughed softly and then shook his head. "You play with fire with that one, _love_. Are you sure you want that? I am shocked to see you interested."

"No more than I," she admitted ruefully. "But I cannot deny what I feel inside."

Rinethel grunted faintly, waving her to come closer. When she did, he pulled her down beside him. "I have much to learn about what happened, but I have missed you oh so much." He kissed her cheek and then lay back on the ground. "My energy, however, is still spent."

She brushed aside a few strands of hair from his forehead. "You will be tired for some time, and the leg is yet to be healed."

Rinethel nodded. "Indeed, but I am alive, as are you. This, my sister, is a good day."

**

He bore the pain stoically, strapped to a litter the elves had made for him, dragged behind Elrohir's horse. Haldir rode in front , while his sister followed directly behind Rinethel. Three elves followed behind her, bows in hand, eyes searching the area as well as they could.

He knew the game was dangerous -- riding in the open while dragging him along side, leaving a trail a child could follow. But they had little choice, riding with one of the elves was not possible with his leg, and Haldir refused to heal him any further due to his exhaustion.

Rinethel had to admit he was tired, his energy so limited it took all he had to lift his head to glance around him. It was easier to drift in and out, leaving his and his sister's safety to the elves surrounding him. Indeed, he thought sleepily, there could be no better escort than the elves surrounding him.

He groaned as the litter bounced painfully over a rough area of road, heard Elrohir apologize softly, and forced awake by the pain, decided it would be a good time for his sister to explain some things. He waved at her and she urged her horse next to him on the trail.

He held a hand to his temple to ease the tension and then looked up at her. "So, detail me with what happened."

Lillah stared at him for a moment and then looked away, he knew, to gather herself for the tale.

The story came out in short bursts as if she only had enough energy and will to describe the horrific events in small parcels. The joys of her husband's return, their attempts to begin again, the orcs. She spoke after a long pause and then told him, a halting and painful recounting, of the fight with the orcs, the creature's laughter that still haunted her. She described her journey to Minas Tirith, and with a faint smile sent toward Haldir, talked of the March Warden, Aragorn and Legolas and how kind they had been.

He listened silently, fully aware the others heard just as much.

And in the end, he thanked the Valar for keeping her alive, and thanked the elves with him for forcing her to live again.

**

They arrived at the half way point to the White City near dusk, pushing the horses to make it to a place Haldir and the twins deemed safe enough to camp for the evening. Lillah didn't care, she only wanted to get off the horse to find some comfort.

But getting off wasn't as easy as she expected. No longer distracted by her worry for Rin, her body finally had decided to make its complaints known to not only her, but the other elves as well. She fell off her horse, struggling to pull her leg free to climb down and found herself entangled in the straps. She landed hard on the ground and found several pairs of hands there instantly to gather her up and put her back on her feet.

Except her legs weren't cooperating and she instead found herself lifted into Haldir's arms, tucked neatly against his chest and carried, she couldn't help but sigh in delight, to where they were setting up camp.

She was too tired to complain.

Rinethel was carried as well to a place beside the fire. Elladan tucked a blanket carefully around the elf, crouching next to him while Haldir settled Lillah nearby. Elrohir pressed a hand to her forehead and she sighed and pulled it free.

"I am fine, just tired, Elrohir."

"You worry me yet," the elf complained. "You have been through much and it would not surprise me if you took ill from it. Some push such things aside until finally they cannot fight it any further." Elrohir looked directly at Haldir.

Legolas smiled behind his hand, sitting on the ground beside Rinethel.

Rin grinned weakly. "I am sure none here would do that," he declared.

Haldir ignored them all and instead pulled his cloak free and wrapped it around Lillah's shoulders.

"You might as well leave that with her since you offer her it every night." Elladan chuckled, ducking the glare Haldir finally sent toward him.

"Enjoy your teasing," the March Warden replied sternly. "I care not. Perhaps if you were more observant, ranger, you might have noticed her shivering."

Elladan only grinned and winked at Lillah. Lillah smiled, but appreciated the warmth Haldir continued to offer, both with his cloak and the care he had given her since they had met. But she was growing more interested in gaining a deeper insight to the elf who for the most part had remained elusively distant.

Had he decided his interest was not acceptable? She watched him kneel next to Rinethel, studying the contrast of pale silver blonde to Rinethel's darker coloring, the line of jaw that marked the elf so distinctly, the stern expression that did not allow for a response to the twin's continued teasing.

But even so, she noted the elves worked together well. Legolas stepped in when necessary, or hovered on the edges of Lillah's vision as if reluctant to leave her for very long. Elladan and Elrohir were often within a few steps, and Haldir was almost always near her side. Her personal protector, and one she would find difficult to lose.

The elves were a cohesive unit, and one she could help but find incredibly daunting.

Their night was spent comfortably enough, but the morning brought heavy fog, and terror.

Lillah woke with a hand covering her mouth, startled from her reverie by Haldir, his grey eyes dark with warning as he muffled her startled scream. Rinethel was awake and sitting up, cursing softly under his breath.

The mist lay around them in a heavy blanket of damp that chilled her to the bone.

Haldir covered his lips with his fingers.

Lillah knew only fear, her heart racing once again, scrambling to her feet. Legolas appeared like a wraith out of the mist, his cloak beaded with drops of silver, blond hair glistening with dampness. He scowled, running a hand along the string of his bow.

He jerked his head toward the watery light of the rising sun.

Haldir nodded and pulled Lillah against his chest, his lips pressed close to her ear. "We are surrounded."

Lillah moaned, the sound muffled instantly by Haldir's hand.

"Sssh. The advantage is that the orcs do not know we are here."

She blinked, confused.

The March Warden smiled grimly. "I am going to bring you your horse. Rinethel will mount with you and you will ride as if the horse has the fires of Mordor burning his heels for Minas Tirith. We will follow as we can."

She shook her head violently.

Rinethel could not ride, it would be excruciating for him.

Haldir gripped her arms tightly. He leaned closer, pressing his forehead against hers. "You must, Lillah, it is the only way."

Rinethel would not agree!

She was wrong however. Elrohir appeared out of the mist, her stallion readied, his tack muffled with torn pieces of cloth. Haldir waited as Elladan strode out of the gloom and with his brother, lifted an unprotesting Rinethel to the horse.

Legolas touched Rin's knee and nodded at the elf.

Haldir cupped Lllah's face between his hands and then kissed her hard on the mouth. Startled by the embrace she could only sink against him and tangle her fingers into his tunic. When he finally broke the kiss she was breathless, as was he, and then she was on the horse, with Rin's arms around her. Haldir jerked the horse's head down and with an intense stare into the horse eyes, he pulled the animal around to face the sun.

"The White City, my friend. As fast as you can go."

Lillah nearly shrieked when the elf slapped the horse hard on the rear, but then she could do nothing more than hang on, and hope Rinethel could weather the ride without falling off.

**

The ride was a horrifying affair, for though they made it through the mists for many minutes, it was soon evident they had to pass among the orcs surrounding the elves, and through them they went. Her husbands's stallion was bent on it, his head down, any attempt to control his passage was ignored. They thundered through the fog, unable to see more than a few few ahead and beside them, yet the horse swept through the wood unerringly.

Lillah clung to the horse's mane, while Rin clung just as tightly to her waist, his gritted gasps echoing in her ear.

The orcs flung themselves out of the way of the wild horse, snarling as they rounded behind him. But most were on foot and unable to follow.

Until they reached the hills and then Lillah nearly fainted at the sounds behind her. Wargs, undoubtably, their howls wailing behind her. The horse flew across land, hooves pounding with effort.

They might have made it had Rinethel not been weak or injured, but when the horse slowed to lurch up a steep incline, Rinethel lost his grip on her waist, or perhaps more likely, simply passed out from the pain. In any event, he fell from the horse and she had no choice but to rein in the animal and return for her brother.

She dismounted swiftly, crouching next to Rin only to find him unconscious.

She nearly wept, unsure what she should do next.

The wolves that followed them crept up slowly, their red eyes gleaming through the mist.

Lillah shuddered but did not move from Rinethel's side. Something would save them, somehow, someway, they would make it through this trial as well.

The wargs slithered on their bellies, just visible in the fog, large hairy creatures so much like wolves but immensely larger and uglier. They growled menacingly, a cruel sound.

She pulled Rinethel's dagger from his hip, brandishing the weapon, although she knew it would do little good.

The wargs drew closer, some yipping in their excitement over a new kill, and one especially grew brave and rose on its haunches, howling into the mist.

The sound cut off abruptly as an arrow caught him in the throat, silencing the howl permanently. Another series slammed into the animal so hard he was lifted off of his feet and thrown back among his fellow wargs where he was instantly attacked.

The arrows continued, flung from behind Lillah, and then several horses leaped over the fighting, snarling pack to land in front of her, the two elves riding them rolling off the animals in a fluid move than brought them instantly between Lillah and the wargs.

Haldir flung up his bow, string drawn to his cheek and an arrow launched within a few seconds of gaining his feet. Legolas was not a second behind, both arrows finding their mark with an accuaracy few could match.

Behind her another set of arrows sent the remaining wargs fleeing in a whining rush to disappear into the fog. The sound of their howls rang out for many moments longer, while Lillah sagged over Rinethel with the overwhelming urge to weep.

Instead, she shoved herself up to her feet and as Haldir turned toward her, lowering his bow, she leaped at him, throwing her arms around his neck as if he might disappear much as the wargs had done.

Legolas lifted a slim brow, his lips curved in amusement when she finally loosened her grip on the March Warden.

"How dare you send me off like that," she declared, annoyed by Legolas's easy manner and the fact that she had been so overjoyed to see Haldir. "Rinethel could have died riding like that, what were you thinking?"

Haldir stepped around her, ignoring her anger and knelt beside Rinethel. He pressed his fingers to the elf's brow and then laid the flat of his hand against Rinethel's heart.

Legolas caught her as she sagged in fear, lifting her gently back to her feet. "He only offers Rinethel strength, Lillah. You know this."

She did but yet something about it frightened her.

Rinethel sighed, and then slowly opened his eyes. "I hope, March Warden, we arrive soon to Minas Tirith."

Haldir smiled faintly. "Your journey will end soon enough, Ranger. You will arrive before you know it, if asleep." The elf leaned closer and as Lillah watched, placed both hands on Rinethel's chest for several long minutes, while Rin dropped the hand that had gripped Haldir's wrist, once more oblivious to his surroundings.

Even as Haldir worked, several elves appeared around them out of the mist, dressed in the greens and browns of the forest, elves that Legolas strode forward to greet personally. They were Woodland elves, but of the Greenwood, the dark forests of Mirkwood, Legolas's people, rangers who had fought the shadow creatures all too often.

They bowed respectfully to the handsome prince, and then as well toward Haldir when he rose slowly to his feet. Lillah turned toward the March Warden to see him suddenly grow pale and then he slid to the ground in a boneless heap that made Lillah scream in horror.

TBC


	8. Chapter 8

Title: Lillah's Story: Chapter 8

Author: Fianna

CHAPTER 8:

"Lillah! You are bleeding!" Elrohir exclaimed as he rode up to the group with Elladan.

Lillah looked down at her chest, frozen yet in place as Legolas crouched quickly beside the fallen Haldir. Her chest was bloody, but she shook her head, pointing a shaking finger toward Haldir.

Elladan sank next to Legolas to bend over Haldir.

The March Warden groaned and pushed away the two elves attempting to ascertain the warden's obvious injury. "I am fine, leave me be."

Elrohir snorted, joining his brother and Legolas, and with a glance between them, forcibly held the elf to the ground to search for the wound he had received. Lillah watched them from a few feet away, her fingers pressed against her lips to smother any sound of her fear. She could not bear the idea of Haldir being lost; it was too soon, and he had become too close to her heart.

A near silent battle ensued between the twins, the Mirkwood and Lorién elf until Haldir had to relinquish his fight, exhausted and chided sternly by Elrohir. "Your brothers will strangle us all to hear you are injured for one, and two should you die from foolish pride after recovering from Helm's Deep."

Lillah found their concern endearing.

Elladan suggested the tunic had to come off.

Lillah found she couldn't breathe.

Haldir found three elves quite willing to disrobe him without a thought the elleth suddenly watching avidly.

The tunic came off in a slightly rough manner to leave Haldir gasping on the ground, but not so much in pain as in laughter.

Lillah stood riveted to the spot where she stood, her eyes undoubtedly wide, her heart hammering in her chest. Haldir sat up with the help of Elrohir's shoulder, grunting as Elladan probed the gash across the right side of Haldir's ribs. His hair was thrown forward, partially masking a well-muscled chest and shoulder, and as he twisted to avoid a particularly sharp jab of Elladan's fingers, gave her a moment to see the faint scar that ran over his shoulder and along his spine.

She found the four elves looking at her curiously a moment later as she backed up a step, hand to her throat.

How could he have healed from such a blow? The immensity of the injury shocked her and to see him alive in front of her seemed simply unfeasible.

Legolas rose swiftly to his feet, catching her as she stumbled back another step.

"Lillah?"

She couldn't speak, couldn't explain the feelings clogging her throat, the dismay and horror of what must have happened. She fought off Legolas's attempt to soothe her, unable to think past the images suddenly flooding her brain.

Orcs - orcs that had hurt Haldir, orcs that had hounded them, orcs that had nearly killed Rinethel – it all shuttered through her mind, image after image until she could only gasp for breath, blinded by pain.

A voice broke through her chaotic thoughts, fingers gripped her arms painfully until she blinked, focusing blearily on the elf holding her so tightly.

Haldir, his eyes glittering sharply, he held her against his chest after what she realized had been a rough shaking to break her from the fear and horror. Haldir, still undressed, his expression one of infinite patience now, and weariness.

"Come back," he commanded her. "Put it away."

Lillah pressed her hands against his chest. "How could you bear it?" she whispered.

She saw him grind his teeth, jaw hard as he stared at her. "I wanted to live, Lillah."

She shuddered, but pushed him back when he would have pulled her closer. "To have such a scar, even with elven healing… I cannot imagine…"

She felt him shudder as well, the tremor running from shoulder to hip, his fingers nearly unbearable as he held her shoulders. But then she saw the strength of will from an elf willing to give his life for his people. Haldir sucked in a deep breath and then relaxed his fingers, if not to release her. He held her gently and lowered his forehead to hers as he had done twice before. "You do not have to imagine nor think of it. It is done and in the past. I am here now, Lillah, and I am not going anywhere but back to Minas Tirith with you, fully alive and well."

"Well, almost," Elrohir added, appearing at Haldir's elbow. He slid an arm around Lillah, reminding her that Haldir was indeed, injured.

Haldir stepped back only to find Elladan also at his side. The ranger pushed Haldir to sit near a fire they had built. The March Warden leaned over his knees as Elladan began to wrap his ribs with lengths of cloth they had ripped from one of the cloaks.

Elrohir kissed Lillah's cold cheek. "He is weary from the healing he has given. The wound is a simple one, bloody yes, but not something to be concerned about. Now his temper…" Elrohir grinned. "It is a good thing you are here to temper his temper, elleth, for otherwise our attempts to hold him down would have been met with far worse."

The elf laughed and led Lillah to the fire to sit.

**

Haldir sucked in a deep breath to find his ribs ached only slightly. He lay on his back near the fire Elladan had built, one to keep the wargs at bay as they still prowled too close for comfort, and secondly to ease the terror they could all see in Lillah's eyes.

He had hoped the nightmares had ceased for her.

It was his fault they had returned with a vengeance. Had she not seen the scarring from the orc's blade, perhaps had he not come at all, she might be free of the terrors of her memories.

He scolded himself for being selfish - for wanting to be near her, to protect her when all he had done was bring her more pain.

The thought was painful in itself.

He threw an arm over his eyes with a muttered curse, a knee bent to ease the ache in his ribs. The warg's howls echoed distantly, a chill reminder they were not yet safe. He had lost sight of what was important, what had been their mission. Return with Rinethel, only that, nothing more. Galadriel would expect him to journey home soon after returning the ranger to Minis Tirith to recover, hopefully in the hands of the competent Anna. He would suggest his placement to Aragorn, knowing the woman would, if anything, bully Rin to a quick cure.

The thought brought a brief smile to Haldir's lips, but it was quickly replaced with reproach as he remembered watching Lillah there. He sat up abruptly, dragging a hand through hair that had come loose from its normal braids, hanging in disarray over his face.

His tunic was still gone, drying after Lillah had insisted she wash it, if only to avoid them all. Her embarrassment at her reaction to his injury had clearly been acute. It did not seem to matter that they had understood her horror all too well. It was not her fault she was just now seeing the results.

That she found the scars horrific unsettled him. He had not considered how an elleth might react. He could not see how bad they looked. He was not vain, but still modest enough to admit that such things were probably distasteful. He sighed, muffling a groan and pressed his fingers hard into his temple to ease the throb that wrapped his head like a vice.

A soft touch brushed against his fingers, pulling them free of his face. Lillah knelt in front of him.

"I have said not to pity me," he muttered harshly, meaning to rise, but she pressed a hand onto his shoulder to hold him still.

"I do not pity you, Haldir. I ache for the pain you must have felt, both emotionally and physically."

He pulled her hand free of his shoulder. He did not need her, refused to accept he needed her concern. It had been difficult enough to bear, hearing her speak of it only made it worse.

She smiled and placed her hands firmly on his arm, as if to hold him to her. "We are quite a pair, are we not? Both hurting, both facing such horrors alone."

He looked at her without answering.

"You do not have to be alone."

"I am not. I have had many offer concern," he said stiffly.

She looked down at her hands and to his surprise, moved closer. Her voice when she spoke was a whisper, one that forced him to lean closer to hear her. "Brothers can love you, Haldir, but they are not with you in the darkest of nights when the terrors come to haunt you. They will not hold you to remind you that there is still life to be lived."

Haldir blinked and lifted his gaze to hers. "I need…"

"I know, you don't _need_ anyone," Lillah replied. She tightened her hands on his arm and then lifted one to gently lift the hair from his shoulder. She shifted, pulling the long strands to the opposite side of his body, leaving his back free.

He stiffened as her fingers gently traced the lines left by the orc's blade.

"You believe I find this distasteful, but I do not. I was simply overwhelmed to see it, to know how very deep that blade had gone to leave any scar at all. To think you nearly died and I would have never met you."

He shuddered as she kissed his shoulder.

"And thinking that brought back images of my horror, ones that, thanks to you, had been pushed away, and then I thought of Rin nearly being killed," she finished softly. "But what you do not know is that it made me realize how tenuous our life is, even immortal as we are."

She brushed her fingers over his lips when he would have spoken. "And most of all, Haldir of Lorién, I find you extremely tantalizing undressed and any elleth in her right mind would have been disarmed by that alone."

He lifted a brow as she kissed him briefly on the mouth and then rose to her feet. She gathered her cloak and wrapped it around her shoulders. "I must speak to my brother, who did as I asked and left me alone with you." She laughed softly, lifting a shaking hand for him to see. "My hands tremble, March Warden. Do you affect all women so?" She turned away, fading into the darkness leaving him speechless.

**

Lillah found Rin sitting with Legolas several paces from the fire, hidden nearly in the shadows of a large pine tree. He sat braced against a rock, his leg wrapped securely with bindings. He held out a hand when she approached, his expression worried.

"Are you all right?"

Lillah nodded and then smiled at Legolas, who as usual sat silently watching her intently. "I am fine, really. I am sorry to have been such a …" she shivered and sank down next to Legolas on the rock. "I am worried about Haldir."

Legolas shifted to look back at the fire. "You must trust that he will be fine, a set back in mind only, for he worries about you, and how he is affecting you." The prince smiled mischievously. "And has for some time, Lillah."

She shook her head in denial. "I fear he holds himself too distant. He clearly cares for you and accepts you care for him, yet he seems unwilling to allow anyone closer."

Rinethel folded his arms over his chest, staring at her sharply. "Do you want closer?"

Lillah gave her brother a rueful smile. "And if I do?"

Rin grinned. "I will thank the Valar that an elf has done what a mortal could not - bring you back to me and our kin. For that, alone, I would crawl to protect that elf from harm."

Legolas patted Rinethel's shoulder. "Not necessary, I assure you. The March Warden is well able to take care of himself, stubborn elf that he is. But there are some things only a female can do." He turned toward Lillah. "Breaching his control will not be an easy task. He will fight both you and his feelings, on one hand wanting you clearly, and on the other, faced with what he deems is his duty."

"Damn his duty," Lillah declared sharply. "What do I have to do? Lock him in a room with me?"

Rinethel smothered a laugh, while Legolas lifted a slim brow. "Not a bad idea, but the repercussions might be difficult to handle. Are you strong enough to deal with his anger?" Legolas chuckled. "The March Warden's anger is legendary."

Lillah sniffed, her mind bent on how to lure the March Warden to her bedroom.

**

Elrohir watched the byplay between Haldir and Lillah grow and then suddenly stop. She left him alone, clearly confused, on the remaining ride back to Minus Tirith, which thankfully, went without incident.

Arriving in Minas Tirith kept them all busy, greeted at the lowest gate by Aragorn himself who lifted Lillah from her horse with gentle hands. When she would have bowed before him he shook his head and kissed the top of her head.

"How do you fare, Lillah?" Aragorn asked.

"I am well, thank you." She glanced at the elves also dismounting, at Rinethel still strapped to the litter where he argued with both Elladan and Elrohir. "We have found him, injured but alive, and for that I am very well."

Aragorn nodded sagely. "Indeed. But he is still wounded."

"I believe Anna can cure him with only a glare," Haldir suggested, moving past them with a faint twinkle in his eye.

Aragorn laughed. "True, Haldir, I will make sure she cares for him. She will enjoy that."

Lillah saw Haldir shiver faintly before he disappeared among the other Lorién wardens.

**

Haldir knew his friends cared for him. He knew their concern over his past healing was often on their minds, and also knew it was why they all smiled whenever Lillah was near by. They assumed her presence would offer him comfort, which he had to admit it had, but it had also reminded him of that pain as well.

How could one heal the emotional scars left by such a trial, to push them so far away as to forget them? He had hoped that the nightmares would fade with time, but as the days passed and the dreams lingered, he grew doubtful he would ever be free of them. Added to that was the pain he could feel from Lillah and the sounds of battle would once more rage in his head, the horror of seeing his elves die beside him, to feel the sharp bite of a blade he had not seen coming.

He had pushed her too far, had allowed her to journey with them when the terrors of her own ordeal was too fresh. And because of it, she had pushed him away, in a way he could not yet understand.

Their return to Minas Tirith had been uneventful from the harrowing ride through the fog, uneventful from the aspect of attack from orcs, but thick with an undercurrent of something he could not quite place. Lillah had kissed him, had touched the scars inside and out, and then had retreated from him, both physically and emotionally.

Had she regretted her actions?

The others seemed just as confused at her distance. Haldir sighed, and remanded that to the twins and his own wardens. Rinethel seemed oblivious and Legolas, well, the young ellon was far too quiet. That meant something was up.

Haldir did not know Legolas well enough to judge his silence. Had it been Orophin or Rumil, he would have been wary of some trick, yet with the prince of Mirkwood, he could not say. Legolas had become an enjoyable companion, yet as a younger elf, was still testing the waters as to what he could do with Haldir.

His teasing had been subtle and tentative.

Yet tease he did, if not as boldly as the twins did. His wardens only looked on in amusement, their respect for Haldir undiminished by the jovial laughter at his expense. He could deal with that. What he could not deal with was the unsettling feeling something had gone wrong between him and Lillah.

It took him a moment to realize how much that disturbed him. No, to be honest with himself, how much it hurt to think she had pushed him away.

The emotion made him irritable, a fact that was evident in the way his elves suddenly disappeared from around him.

Haldir sighed.

**

"You have confused him, sister," Rinethel declared from his bed, sitting against a bank of pillows tucked behind his back. A tray sat on his lap, the food untouched as he stared at Lillah in concern. "Is this what you want? You may lose him."

Lillah smoothed the silk of her skirts over her knees in an effort to hide the sudden tremble at the mention of Haldir. She had thought long and hard on how to approach the affair between them, and had decided that hard to get was more apt to draw him closer. An elf like that needed a challenge.

Her plans were only just beginning, had Rinethel only known. She smiled at her brother when he cleared his throat. "I know what I am doing."

He arched a brow, scratching at the bare skin of his chest, one that the women tending him gaped at when they brought him his dinner. Rinethel had only smiled at them in amusement, his dark hair draped over one eye to mask the twinkle in his eyes. Lillah had nearly laughed, and then reprimanded herself, for she had done much the same when looking at Haldir.

It was not fair for the ellons to be so evocative.

Rinethel sighed and picked up a piece of bread, staring at it in distaste. "I do not wish to make them feel bad, but their food leaves much to be desired."

Lillah smiled at her brother. Healing well, but weary , Anna had not allowed him from his bed for two days, and declared if she saw him out of it, would remove his clothes -- hence the bare chest and more beneath the blankets tucked carefully around his waist. What Lillah did not know was whether the woman had taken her brother's clothes while the ellon was awake or sleeping. He was not telling.

"I have things well enough in hand," she finally stated, smoothing a few strands of her hair over her shoulder. "I believe I'll be seeing the March Warden very soon."

Rinethel munched listlessly on his bread. "Indeed? And how is that?"

"I have had Elrohir and Elladan hide his horse."

Rinethel choked on the bread. "What? He must leave for Lorién soon. Would you anger the Lady of the Wood by not allowing his return?"

Lillah grinned at her brother, the only sign of her disquiet was the grip on the strands of her hair. "Nay, the twins say she will not be angry. She is their grandmother after all."

The elf snorted, shoving away the food on his lap. "And why would this bring him to you, then?"

Lillah giggled and then nearly choked herself at the sound of a door slamming.

**

Haldir strode purposely through the healing house, ignoring the stares of surprise, the greetings that left the people in his wake watching him with lifted brows. He ducked around a woman carrying linens, sending her whirling in consternation, passed another bearing a tray of food that was nearly upset by the woman's startled surprise, and then he saw Lillah at the end of the hall, visible from where she sat beside a smiling Rinethel.

He nearly made it to the door when Anna stepped into his way. He stopped abruptly, and then even stepped back when she glared at him.

"Where do you think you are going?"

Haldir lifted his chin, sending her a look that would have quailed most of his wardens. "I have business with Lillah."

Anna was unaffected by his manner. "Then you should wait until she is outside the healing house. I will not allow you to upset her when she is with her brother."

"Who said I was going to upset her," Haldir demanded through gritted teeth.

Anna arched a brow that would have made Galadriel's expression look wimpy.

Haldir tried another tact, aware that Lillah was laughing, her face covered by her hands. Rinethel's fingers covered his lips. "I wish only to see how Rinethel is doing?"

The woman had the audacity to snort, folding her arms over her chest. "Not working."

Haldir stared at Anna intently. "It is a matter of importance. The Lady of the Wood would not be pleased."

Anna shrugged.

"When then, my lady, may I see Rinethel?"

Anna smiled up at him. "Whenever you like, when Lillah is not there."

**

TBC


	9. Chapter 9

Lillah: Chapter 9

Lillah watched the March Warden stare fiercely at Anna and then he turned abruptly on his heel and stalked down the hall, while the woman watched him from where she stood. Once the elf had left the building, evidenced by the quiet slam of the front door, Anna turned to face Lillah and Rinethel.

"I do not know what is going on between you, but that is the last time I will intervene on your behalf. He's a good elf, that one is, and I don't like seeing him hurt." She nodded at the two elves and moved away down the hall while Lillah ducked her head, embarrassed.

Rinethel smoothed his lips, his dinner forgotten, and then he finally looked at his sister. "You do realize what you are up against?"

Lillah met his gaze curiously. "Your meaning?"

"You have not only to fight against Haldir's incredible sense of loyalty to his wood, but also his reputation, and, my lovely sister, a fierce sense of pride when it comes to being picked on. Do so at a cost you may regret."

~**~

Elrohir watched, unnoticed, as Haldir strode rapidly away from the healing house in a fury. He smiled in amusement and then straightened from the doorway where he had waited for the warden to exit the healer's abode. Clearly, Haldir had received no satisfactory answer from Lillah, just as he had not from either Elladan or Elrohir. It would not deter the March Warden long; missing a horse was not much of an obstacle to overcome. Aragorn would simply give him another should the elf ask for one, but for Haldir to do so would be a blow to the ellon's pride. That was the difficulty and the reason for his anger.

Elrohir chuckled, weaving among the pedestrians lining the street, keeping the silver-haired elf in his sight through the crowd. A few moments later, he spied Elladan and with a slight tip of his chin, allowed his twin to continue trailing Haldir.

Elrohir turned back and headed for the healing house. He met Lillah on the steps outside.

"We have done as you ask," Elrohir stated, taking the elleth's fingers to help her down the steep steps. "He is not happy."

She sighed, shivering briefly. "No, I know."

Elrohir tucked her hand beneath his arm, guiding her through the throng of people milling about the street. The city was full, the houses all packed with refugees. Some streets had become nearly impassible with tents and temporary housing. Aragorn was being hard-pressed to find them all shelter. Many people watched the two elves pass, stopping sometimes to stand in the street with mouths open. Elrohir generally ignored their surprise, but did smile at a young woman holding a tiny baby to her breast. The woman blushed profusely and turned away.

"You are still the same," Lillah complained dryly.

Elrohir looked at the petite elleth at his side. "Should I be changed then?"

Lillah smiled and shook her head. "With all the trials of this war, I suppose I expected everyone to be grim and serious all the time."

Elrohir frowned briefly. "And what good would this do? Life is indeed difficult for many still, some as you were, have been wounded both physically and mentally. Their hearts bear heavy burdens, Lillah. Why should I not attempt to add some lightness or offer a lady a token of my appreciation for her beauty. I have embarrassed the young woman with her child, yes, but she will relay it to her friends and remember it with a lighter heart. I hope," he added with a wink.

Elrohir patted Lillah's hand, amused when she laid her cheek against his arm.

"Am I wrong in making him angry?"

Elrohir considered her carefully. "Who can say but Haldir? If you want him then take him," he said. "My sister shouted that at the Nazguls when she had Frodo, you know. They tried, but of course were defeated by our magic." He stopped and turned Lillah to face him. "Will you find defeat in this course? Ask yourself just what you want from him. He is who he is, my friend. You cannot change him, nor should you. And you cannot ask him to leave what is part of his soul. You must decide what you can accept."

She gazed at him curiously. "And what do you want from life, Elrohir?"

He chuckled. "I have not yet decided."

~**~

Haldir was fully aware of the elf trailing his steps. He moved slowly and methodically without any real purpose or destination in mind, his thoughts conflicted as he walked. His anger had cooled and had been replaced with amusement. Lillah's obvious attempt to thwart his return to Lorién was a sharp contrast to her distance on the ride back.

What did the elleth want?

What did he want?

What could he give her that both would accept? Would it be better to simply retreat from the burgeoning emotions that had risen between them or did he want to pursue her further? A question yet to be answered and one that had hounded his thoughts for days.

He could ask Aragorn for another mount, and would be given one without question, but he had to admit he was not ready to leave Minis Tirith as yet. He could delay his journey only for so long, however, before duty called him back.

That did not give him, or Lillah, much time.

Getting the twins involved spoke of a determination that made him smile. A cat and mouse game was always entertaining. Haldir smiled and nearly laughed when a woman nearby stared at him with wide eyes. He ducked into an alley, weaving swiftly through the tangle of houses and debris clogging the narrow street, stepping into a darkened doorway to wait.

Elladan passed him by but then stopped abruptly. "How long have you known?"

Haldir moved out of the doorway to shove the elf forward a few steps. "Long enough to make you feel like a fool. She will get what she wants soon enough."

~**~

Lillah stepped into her room, a bright cheerful place on the third story of a corner building, high enough she could see over the wall surrounding the sixth level of the city. The sun was bright, a faint breeze blowing in the open window. She stopped at the sight of the open window with a frown. She had not left it open, she was certain of it.

Goosebumps prickled her skin; her heart constricted leaving her breathless. She had nothing to fear, there were no orcs within Minus Tirith. She told herself she was being silly and stepped further into the room only to stop when she noticed the goblet sitting on the table near the window. The wine glistened in the clear glass, moisture beaded the outside from the humidity. She swallowed and lifted a hand to her throat as chill swept through her.

She felt him move behind her. She knew he was there, but heard no sound to alert her of his presence. It was only a sense of his nearness, the air felt compressed around her. She stood still and tried to regulate her breathing, refusing to show him how much he affected her.

He probably already knew, she thought, closing her eyes to try to focus on her surroundings.

The air was heavy. She could hear the curtains whispering as they fluttered in the breeze. The sounds of traffic outside in the street filtered in, muffled from the height somewhat. She could feel the warmth of the sunlight on her feet, the floor tiles warm beneath her thin slippers. And after a moment, she could smell him.

How close was he? She dared not open her eyes.

"You are trembling," he whispered into her ear. His breath fluttered the stands of her hair. It was the only indication of how close he stood to her. "Are you frightened?"

She shook her head, lips tight, but could not help but press her fingers against her throat in an impulsive reaction to his nearness.

"I mean you no harm," he said. She felt his fingers brush against her neck, shifting her hair with the barest of a whisper against her skin.

"I know that," she replied, dismayed to find her voice sounded frightened. She turned around, but he moved just as quickly to stay behind her, silently like a wraith.

"Two can play games, Lillah. Do you dare?"

She dropped her hand to her skirt, tightly gripping the thin fabric. "I already play, March Warden. Are you?" she turned her head but could not see him, but felt his fingers graze her waist.

"Oh yes," he whispered. "The rules however change when I play."

She lifted her chin. "Oh really?"

His laugh made her shiver all the away to her toes. She felt him tuck something into her hair, slid gently above her ear. When he did nothing else, she reached up to find it was a flower. She turned around but found the room empty.

Heart beating rapidly, she pulled it from her hair to find it was a pale lily, nearly white with a rosy-hued throat. It was lovely and she wondered where he had found it. She lifted it to her nose to inhale the sweet fragrance, and wondered just how long it would take for her nerves to settle down.

~**~

Haldir sat on the edge of the rampart wall, one leg braced on the outside, the other knee drawn up on the stone as he wrote the missive he would soon send to the Lady of Light. He ignored the sheer drop just beside him, his perch on the highest level of the city one he did not mind, but rather enjoyed. The sunlight was warm on his head, the wind ruffling the parchment pressed against his knee and sending his hair fluttering around his shoulders in tickling caresses over his cheek.

The royal guards nearby watched him with both curiosity and trepidation should he fall.

The thought amused him.

He paused in writing, debating on just how to word his delay.

A cough from beside him made him smile.

"Must you terrify my guards, Haldir, so blatantly?" Aragorn demanded imperiously, but grinned when Haldir turned his head to meet the King's gaze with a lift of his brow.

"I am well used to heights, as they should remember."

Aragorn shrugged. "Should, but they only see a valued member of my family sitting precariously near a fall that would kill you. They still feel very protective of the hero of Helm's Deep."

Haldir snorted. "I am no hero, that title belongs to you. I will not fall. I am an elf."

Aragorn laughed and shook his head. "Spoken like the arrogant ellon I know well. What do you write, my friend? Delaying your journey home?"

Haldir sighed. "How do you guess so easily?

The King leaned against the wall beside Haldir. He would not test his guardian's protectiveness by doing anything more dangerous. "You normally would have left as soon as possible. The Golden Wood always calls you home quickly; instead I see something else has captured your . . . attention." Aragorn smiled, his blue eyes twinkling.

"I cannot argue that," Haldir replied, meeting the royal gaze intently.

"Do you need me to require your attention for a longer time than we originally expected? Perhaps Arwen has need of you."

Haldir grinned. "Nay, the Lady sees far too much. I will simply tell her the truth. I have personal matters to attend to."

Aragorn nodded and pushed away from the wall. "I do not think she will be surprised. I will send for one of the falconers. Are you joining us for dinner? I can invite Lillah?"

Haldir began to shake his head but then paused. "An excellent idea, my lord, I would be most happy to see her there."

"I will alert Arwen to the change in plans. She will be amused."

Haldir nodded and returned to his letter. Aragorn passed between his guardians and Haldir did not miss their relief. As if any harm would come to the man, Haldir reflected. Not if he had anything to do about it. Still the guards seemed happier the King had left the rampart, but still watched Haldir just as intently.

~**~

The Lady of Light read the missive a few days later without surprise. She glanced at the setting sun with a distant gaze, a faint smile curving her mouth.

"He delays," Celeborn deduced perceptively.

"Indeed, it seems he has personal matters to attend to."

"It is rare for the March Warden to take time for himself," Celeborn declared and then smiled. "It's about time he has."

Galadriel folded the letter carefully and tucked it into her sleeve. She caressed the sleek falcon that had delivered it so quickly. "Indeed, it is good to see his heart drawn from the depths of grief. I shall reply that he can return when he can."

"No time frame?" Celeborn inquired.

"Love does not often fall smoothly into time frames."

"So you believe he will fall hard for the elleth?" Celeborn again questioned, although Galadriel knew her husband did not need to ask.

"It depends on Haldir himself and what he will allow. That he has delayed his journey speaks well that he is considering it."

"Or is he attempting to find a way to let her down without hurting her," Celeborn suggested. "I could see even in the brief time we saw her, the connection she felt with Haldir. Whether it was love at that time or just a reflection of their healing bond I cannot say."

Galadriel tied the reply she had just written to the falcon's leg and then lifted him into the air, flinging the bird above her. The bird fluttered momentarily, and then with a surge of powerful wings, flew into the sky to return to Minus Tirith. She turned then to face her lover with a smile. "Whatever it is, my husband, if it eases the pain my March Warden has felt for so long, I will praise the Valar for it."

Celeborn embraced her, his arms a haven as she rested he head against his chest. "And if he decides his path lay elsewhere than the Golden Wood?"

Galadriel only smiled. "His heart is here. I would not keep him from choosing a different path, but I do not believe he will. It will be Lillah's choice, I think. I cannot say what she will decide."

~**~

Lillah only knew she did not like the game they were playing now.

Restless since her return, she worked with Anna in the healing house even though Rin was free, and fully clothed to the dismay of his attendants, to stay with her. The work kept her busy but it did not stop her mind from settling on Haldir.

He had taken control.

She had been invited several times to dinner with Aragorn and Arwen. Unable to refuse, she found her seat generally placed opposite Haldir. She wondered if Arwen did it purposely. Haldir's silver gaze was difficult to ignore, especially when it expressed so much and so little. It left her floundering, wondering just what he intended.

Elrohir and Elladan had warned her. Legolas had smiled in amusement. They had known exactly how the elf would react to her attempt to guide their relationship.

A hand on her arm made her flinch, disturbed to find Anna beside her looking at her with a frown. The woman's expression was a sure sign Lillah had been daydreaming for some time.

"I am sorry, Anna, you have caught me wool gathering."

The woman sniffed but did not release her arm, instead she guided Lillah from the sick room to a window. She stopped and pointed outside. "Do you see that?"

Confused, Lillah shook her head with no idea to what Anna was pointing at.

"It is summer now. The birds are singing. The air is warm and lovely. It is not a time to bury yourself inside a house full of misery and illness."

"But you said I should find something to do, Anna. I wish only to help."

"And I appreciate that," Anna replied. "But I didn't expect you to stop living."

Lillah drew back from the window. "I have been out. I went to dinner at the Royal house only two days ago."

"I heard," Anna declared with a roll of her eyes. "Your brother complained to me for an hour that you and Haldir are like warriors willing to fight but yet reluctant to get inside the ring together."

Lillah snorted. "I am not fighting Haldir!"

Anna arched a brow in disdain. "Are you not?"

Lillah reached for a stack of blankets lying on a nearby chair. "No I am not. He plays games, Anna. I am just not sure yet how to counter his play." She swept out of the room and deposited the blankets with another attendant. His game, his rules, he had said. She shivered. He was very good at his game.

She left the Healing house and made her way down the street.

She had no idea what to do.

She could ask Rin, or even the twins, but the thought made her shudder. Perhaps Legolas, who seemed to watch so closely? She knew where he would be and hurried toward the entry gates to the lower levels.

~**~

Legolas watched Lillah pace back and forth. She spoke in a low voice, her hair a silken wave that lay against her back, draped to her hips unfettered.

"If I tell you, you must promise not to laugh."

Legolas pressed his fingers against his heart. "My oath, Lillah."

"He came into my room the other night, late."

Legolas arched a brow, but did not interrupt. Haldir was judiciously noble.

Lillah glanced at him and then sighed. "I was dreaming about him," she admitted, her cheeks flushing prettily. "I do not know if the kiss I felt was part of my dream or real. I woke to find another lily lying on my chest."

Legolas had to admire the elf's tactics. They had unsettled Lillah in a way that a more demanding seduction would not have. Haldir was forcing Lillah to think about him, to wonder, to want more. Even as she complained that Haldir had violated the sanctuary of her room, it was only a token resistance.

"How many does that make now?" Legolas asked, although he knew well the number. Aragorn's prize garden was seriously becoming denuded.

"Five," Lillah replied. "Arwen is sure to have his head."

Legolas laughed. "I am sure she knows exactly where her flowers are going and is not unhappy."

"So how am I to respond? Do I simply let him continue to haunt me? I thought he had to return to Lorién."

"Do you want him to return?" Legolas asked.

Lillah looked at him, pausing in her pacing with a horrified expression. "Of course not!" She laughed then with a shake of her head. "He has won, has he not? I cannot get him from my mind."

"Nor you from his," Legolas reminded her.

She blinked. "True."

"He stays for you."

"But for how long?"

"That depends on you," Legolas replied. "This is what you have to decide."

"I cannot keep him from Lothlorien."

Legolas only smiled. No, but that was not to say things could not still progress in a way that both would find acceptable. But would they find the answer? That remained to be seen.

Lillah rounded on him, fists planted on her hips, eyes expressing a sudden resolve. "I've been the mouse, I suppose."

Legolas wisely kept silent.

"He thinks he is so smart." Lillah paced again, but this time a rueful smile played about her lips. "Perhaps I can take my clue from what he had done."

She looked at him, her eyes wide as a faint blush colored her cheeks. "I must decide, you say."

Legolas nodded sagely.

"Then I decide it is my turn. Can you get me inside the guest quarters, unnoticed?"

"Not a problem," Legolas replied and he grinned.

TBC.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Rinethel finally felt well, his chest no longer pained him nor did the leg that the healers had efficiently forced him to rest. He grinned, remembering Anna's powerful persuasion to make him stay in bed. He had wondered long into the night after waking without a stitch of clothing left to his name just how she had removed his garments without him knowing it. And he wondered, how much had the lady enjoyed both her bullying and the disrobing of an elf ages older yet one that looked like he could be her son.

Women never tired of looking, he knew, no matter their age.

The occasional smile Anna flashed his way told him as much.

Shaking his head, he pushed open the door to Lillah's room, given to her by Aragorn himself. Even though she knew him only by rumor and the brief healing episode, somehow the man had taken his sister under his wing in a protective manner that pleased the ranger immensely. The King's guardianship had deterred the most ardent of admirers, except perhaps one.

He was a very determined admirer and one who had the expertise to use both seduction and intrigue to lure Lillah into his net. Did it matter though? Rinethel considered the effects the March Warden had on his sister. She had returned to her brother a different elleth than the one he had last seen, wedded to a mortal he had not like or one who deserved the elleth he had taken, yet Rin had not interfered in his sister's decision to take the man to heart. Did he have any reason to step in between here either?

No, rather, as he had done just a few nights past, he had simply remained a dedicated observer.

Rinethel had been awake the night Haldir had made his way into Lillah's rooms. Sharing her accommodation had put him purposely in between the March Warden and Lillah -- which was fine with him for the moment. She would choose the time she would further their relationship, even if the warden thought otherwise.

But Haldir was good; Rinethel had to give credit where it was due. The elf had made his way into the room by way of the window, only a pale shadow that woke Rinethel from a light reverie. Rinethel had not moved, merely watched as Haldir moved stealthily through the room to lean over Lillah. She had been dreaming, having fallen asleep on the small chaise near the window. Rin heard her breathing quicken as if she sensed Haldir's presence, yet she did not wake. His kiss was gently done, barely a whisper across her lips, and then he had straightened, leaving the flower on her chest.

In moments he was gone, but not without a faint touch to his brow as he passed Rinethel.

And now, Rinethel wondered as he stood in the room where he and his sister slept, how long did he keep his vigil over Lillah?

"Rin?" Lillah's voice was hesitant, her steps stopping just inside the door. "Are you all right?"

The ranger turned to face his sister, deciding it was time to find out just what she expected from him. "Aye, but we need to talk."

Her expression went from surprise to curiosity, and then after a moment, changed once again to amusement.

"I am no longer the shy maiden you once thought I was."

Rinethel smiled. "I never thought you a shy maiden, love. But I still am here to protect you."

She crossed the room to hug him tightly. "I appreciate your worry. I agree we need to talk." She took his hand and led him to the chaise to sit down. "I need your help, brother."

Rinethel laughed in response. "That was not what I was hoping to hear."

**~~**

She had found the package inside the door without markings. The gown inside had taken her breath away. She assumed it was from Haldir.

A wicked gift, she was sure he expected her to wear it to please him.

She would, but not as he anticipated. The thought made her smile. She left the gown hidden beneath her bed and went to find Anna. She needed a few things she was sure the woman could procure for her. She hurried from her room into the street still teeming with refugees. Things were slowly being organized in the White city; few people sat on the side of the street looking lost anymore. Most went about their way with purpose, if not smiles.

She had reached the healing house when the clamor arose, heard even as far as they were from the sixth level of the city. The healing house sat near the outer wall in the fourth tier, while above them the levels rose gracefully into the sheer granite of the mountain. The noise was from high above where Aragorn had begun rebuilding some of the buildings damaged from the horrendous attacks from the trolls and Sauron's forces. A huge wooden crane stood along the outer wall, built from massive timbers nearly as big as she was. Used to lift bricks and such up to the upper levels of the damaged buildings, it was a monstrosity that had loomed over the lower levels , the arms swinging out over the city with their heavy loads for hours on end.

It now leaned precariously over the wall, broken and twisted, and the noise coupled with the screams of the men injured had brought Anna and Lillah rushing outside the healing house.

Lillah could only stare in horror, certain the crane would come crashing down at any moment.

Clatters of hooves made both women turn around to find Legolas and the twins, with Haldir a few steps behind, thundering toward them. The first three elves swept past them, while Haldir reined in so abruptly his horse pranced several steps sideways.

"We will have need of you, Anna," he declared.

Anna shook her head and grasped Lillah to push her toward Haldir. "I need supplies. Take Lillah to help you until I can get there. I will hurry," she said when Haldir's lips pressed tightly together at her refusal. "Go, what are you waiting for?"

Lillah nearly gasped when Haldir leaned down to grasp her wrist, lifting her easily to his lap. He urged the horse forward with a growl, his arms tight around Lillah while she clung to him.

The crowd parted for them even as they gaped at the precariously leaning contraption above. The horse's hooves ringing loudly on the cobbled stone street, they weaved swiftly through the narrow winding alleys in a rapid galloping gate that took them up to the next level within moments

When they arrived, everyone was still frozen in shock, while three men lay trapped within and beneath the wreckage. The elves had dismounted and were arguing with a man Lillah had to assume was the overseer of the project. He was frowning, waving his arms in an adamant gesture the elves clearly did not like.

Haldir lifted Lillah from his lap, lowering her to the ground before he slid off the horse to join the others. Lillah stared at the injured men in concern as nothing was being done to help them at all.

She turned toward the elves when the man in charge raised his voice in anger.

"We cannot move it or we shall crush Willem below. The contraption hangs in a delicate balance as it is, if it goes over we might kill more when it crashes into the buildings below. We've no way to shore up the bracing nor get ropes to the arm out there without upsetting it." He shoved a hand through his hair in frustration.

Elladan turned to study the broken crane, lips tight, the elf's eyes searching the contraption for answers to the problem.

Elrohir gripped the man's shoulder in an attempt to comfort him. "We shall find a way. Trust me. Aragorn will be here shortly."

"What about the men?" Lillah asked, concerned. "They cannot be left there for long!"

Legolas sighed. "We know. But the problem is the crane. Should it shift further, Lillah, it will certainly kill the man below, while the other two will be crushed worse. We have to secure the frame before we can do anything else. That means getting a rope to the outer arm." The Prince leaned closer to the wall, looking at the crane intently.

Haldir stepped back as more horses thundered down the winding street. Aragorn leaped from his horse, his expression grim. He took one look at the crane and then shook his head. "How many are caught in the wreckage?"

"Three, my lord," the over seer stated. "We do not know if we can get a rope to the arm without sending it down onto the city below."

Aragorn turned to look at the crane as well. Haldir had moved next to the base of the contraption, crouched on the wall beside it.

Legolas, though, looked at the overseer. "I can climb out to the arm with rope to secure it without upsetting the balance."

The overseer looked skeptical. Aragorn shook his head adamantly. "Nay, I cannot risk losing you, my friend. Thranduil would have my head to have you harmed in any way. No, I cannot let you do it."

"Then we can do it," Elrohir declared, arms folded over his chest. He looked at Aragorn stubbornly.

Haldir smiled, his grey eyes twinkling as Aragorn once again shook his head. "Nay, not you either! Elrond would not only have my head, but worse, Arwen would never let me forget it. But I know that we have little choice. There are none here that have the balance an elf does." Aragorn looked at Haldir. "You knew it would be you all along."

Lillah gasped when Haldir nodded and rose to his feet. "Lillah, I have hithlain on my horse, would you bring it?"

The overseer looked between the elf and Aragorn in horror. "You can't mean to send him out there, my lord! It will be his end as well as Willem's . What about the people below?"

"I have sent guards to the lower level to evacuate anyone nearby. Haldir can walk the timber without upsetting the balance. We've no other choice."

Lillah handed the rope to Haldir with a trembling hand. "You will be careful!"

He nodded. Aragorn moved beside her and caught Haldir by his tunic to pull him close. "You will be careful. I want the rope around you as much as the crane."

Haldir crouched down again to look at Aragorn in the eye. "I will do what needs to be done, as I always do. We have no other choice as you just said." The elf laid a hand on Aragorn's shoulder. "I will be fine, remember, I am an elf." He grinned as Aragorn rolled his eyes and then he was moving over the frame of the crane carefully.

Lillah moved back out of the way, glancing between Aragorn and the men lying so silently below, but mostly, she watched Haldir. He moved slowly, perfectly balanced, yet she knew he placed each step with the utmost care, aware of the crane's precarious balance.

He had nearly walked the length of the wooden frame without incident when he froze. An ominous creak made Lillah hold her breath, while Aragorn and the other men surged closer to the wall. Haldir held up his hand without looking back. "If I move further the arm of the crane will shift. If I do not I cannot tie the rope anywhere where it will do any good. I need a counterbalance to my weight, but not as heavy." He looked over his shoulder. "A child's weight."

"Or mine," Lillah declared. "I'll not let you put a child at risk, nor will Aragorn. What must I do?" She glared at Haldir when he shifted to face them, his face pale.

Aragorn smiled grimly. "Ask Haldir. It is he who can sense the shifting better."

Haldir pointed at the frame where the arm connected to the main tower, now lying nearly horizontal rather than vertical. "I have to move onto the arm, but it may send it swinging outward further. I need you to move to the other end to counter the shift." He held up a hand when Lillah moved forward. "You need to shorten your gown. You need to see your feet."

Elladan was already beside her, a slim elvish knife in hand. "Not a problem."

Elrohir was also beside her, tying another length of hithlain around Lillah's waist. "If it looks to go down, we're not losing you. Be careful, Lalaith, this is far more dangerous than fighting orcs."

She smiled at the ranger. Legolas leaped up to the wall and held out his hand. Two men took the end of the hithlain, while Aragorn and the overseer watched intently. Lillah allowed Legolas to lift her beside him. She refused to consider the danger - the drop to the level below, but instead concentrated on the beam she must walk. It was not too narrow, far wider than many of the trees she'd climbed as an elfling. She met Haldir's gaze. "How far must I go?"

"I will tell you when to stop."

She inhaled slowly and then began to walk carefully along the beam, arms held out for balance although it was unnecessary as the beam was quite comfortable to traverse. She felt the wind lift her hair, her shorn skirts whispered around her knees but she did not look down, but kept her gaze on Haldir, on the grey eyes watching her so intently.

She knew then she wanted more of him, knew all along that the connection between them was far stronger than she could have expected. Something had clicked between them, the shared horrors of the war along with the healing had brought them together. She trusted him from the moment he had arrived at her knee in the road before Minas Tirith, when she had first looked into his eyes and knew she was safe.

The crane creaked. The wood beneath her feet shivered but did not shift.

She realized she was holding her breath and exhaled, lifting her gaze to see Haldir was still watching her, his lips a tight as if to hold in the emotions she could see reflected in the silver of his eyes. Worry. She smiled and moved again, focused on her balance and what he needed from her.

The air was cool, the sun beating on her back meant it was growing late. They did not have much time to shore up the crane and remove the men before the mountain hid the setting sun. Behind her, she could hear the low murmur of concerned voices, but not from any of the elves. They knew what could be done, and just who was taking the risk.

She froze when Haldir glanced down at his feet, hands lifting as the wood shifted in a loud clang, reset into its original position, and then as she watched, began to rotate, swinging Haldir out from her and the wall, further out over the lower tiers.

The wind seemed to swirl around Haldir, lifting his hair to blind him for a moment but he remained standing as the arm swung its full circumference and then groaned to a stop. Haldir took one step back, a slim foot braced gracefully as he removed the hithlain from his belt and began to gather the rope into loops in his hand. The arm slowly began to swing backwards, bringing the elf back to where Lillah stood, and as he passed the far end of the crane, Haldir flung the hithlain outwards, looping the thin gray line over the end of the arm. He pulled it tight, bringing him to a halt in mid swing.

Lillah clutched her chest, her fear a bad taste in her mouth.

"Throw it back, Haldir." Aragorn's voice was calm, commanding, a voice many listened to and trusted as well. A voice that held the wisdom of the ages, of pain and heartache, a voice that carried a concern for an elf who had already paid too much for him.

Haldir gave a short nod, unraveling the lengths of rope in his hand to toss them back at Elrohir and Legolas. The Mirkwood elf caught it deftly. The others gathered behind him as Elrohir grasped the rope as well, and eight men and elves began to gently tightly the elvish line to pull the beam upwards.

Haldir moved carefully along the beam back toward Lillah. She held her place, unsure if she should return or stay when the beam began to lift under her feet. She opened her mouth to cry out but it was lost in the renting sound of wood ripping.

Haldir uttered a curse and leaped toward her. The crane canted to the left just as Haldir hit her, knocking her off the beam with him as the machine twisted upwards. She screamed as they fell, but then they were jerked backwards as the ropes caught on the crane as it folded up, timbers snapping as if they were simple branches. Haldir pulled a knife from his boot and sliced through the hithlain holding Lillah, his grip on her wrist an iron band that numbed her hand to her fingers. She didn't speak, but closed her eyes as free of the rope she swung down below him held fast only by the grip on her wrist. He was caught still by the same hithlain, and had only minutes to free himself before they would plunge downward with the rest of the crane into the buildings below.

She lifted her gaze up to the elf above her, noting the elves working feverishly above Haldir to secure another line.

Haldir did not look down, but continued to grip her wrist, feet braced on the wood of the crane as it continued to shudder. He swung her out from the wall, and as she watched, unable to speak, he sliced the line around his waist.

But they fell only a short ways before they stopped once more.

Lillah knew Haldir had somehow caught something to stop their fall. She could see Willem amid the wreckage, unconscious. The crane was disintegrating.

"We have to get to Willem, Haldir."

"I know. I am going to swing you forward. You will have to trust me that you can catch that cross bar. I have to trust that you can as well."

She wouldn't give him any other choice. "Just do it quickly."

The words had hardly left her mouth when she was flung forcefully toward the crane. The wood seemed easy to grasp, but was far more slick that she might have guessed, leaving her scrambling for a hand hold. She caught the edge just as she began to slide off, holding on tightly to catch her breath.

Haldir slammed into the wood frame just above her, but with a gracefulness that made her scowl. Was this so similar to his trees it was nothing?

His grin said as much.

The wood bracing underneath her creaked alarmingly.

She pulled herself onto the cross beam, grasping Hladir's hand tightly as he pulled her along the beams toward the unconscious man. They reached him just as the cross beam Lillah had fallen on snapped in two. Above them, the men were shouting in alarm.

Haldir braced his shoulder against the wood framing pinning Willem and after a moment, or perhaps due to the fact the crane was disintegrating, the beam shifted. Willem groaned as the pressure eased on his chest, and then Haldir was there, lifting the man over his shoulder. Lillah swung around heading for the outside of the crane. A pair of feet appeared in front of her and then Legolas swung down to land on the wood beam. Haldir handed the man to him, and then the elf swung back out as both twins arrived to replace him. Lillah caught Elrohir's wrist as he swung back away and then they were free of the wreckage only to hear a loud snap above them and the wood frame finally collapsed, dropping the whole thing the hundred feet to the level below.

Lillah watched it fall and then hid her face in her arm.

Had Haldir been able to jump free?

When Elrohir was pulled back up to the wall, Rinethel was waiting, his face white. He lifted her over the stone roughly into his arms.

"What were you thinking?"

"Someone needed help." She pushed him away, turning to search for Haldir. He knelt on the wall on one knee, fingers pressed against a sharp gash over his cheek, but alive and well.

Aragorn reached him and without any words at all dragged the elf off the wall and shook him like a child. "Do you think I have the nerves of an elf? Bah, Gimli would have better words than I." Aragorn flung him away and then shook his head, hauling Haldir back into his arms. "Damn you."

Haldir accepted the embrace but his eyes rested firmly on Lillah.

She smiled and received a wink back.

**~~**

Haldir paced the narrow confines of his room, narrow only to an elf used to open airy talans. The room was fully thirty paces square but the windows were tall and slim, paned in heavy glass that blocked the breeze and the sun for much of the day.

But the sun was far gone, the darkness of night heavy as the fog that had swept in from the heights to obscure the city from view.

He paced, hands folded behind his back, dressed in his leggings and undertunic, but nothing more.

Watching Lillah today had been both heady and terrifying. She had done well, he could not have asked her to do more. He smiled at the memory, admiring her courage to do as he asked without question, while he had felt his heart stop even as he knew she was the answer they needed.

Where he needed to go from here was never more muddled.

A faint knock on his door made him turn his head, brow lifted as the door opened partially and a hooded figure slipped inside only to turn and face him, lifting the hood back with slim fingers her recognized well.

Lillah smiled, her gaze full of mischief.

"Greetings, Haldir."

"Lillah?"

She shut the door. The cloak hung heavily from her shoulders, swathing her in layers of dark fabric that hid whatever she wore completely. He lifted his chin slightly as she moved toward him.

"Although I am sure Aragorn has little care in what I might do, the guards here seem to think you are a treasure to be protected from any and all visitors." She sniffed faintly, reaching out to draw her hand across his chest as she brushed past him. "But I have evaded even the most diligent of your wardens, human as they are."

He grinned in amusement.

"Elrohir suggested I become a ranger. What think you?"

"You have the nerve for it, but need training should you choose that path." He turned to keep her in view as she moved around his room. She trailed her fingers over the table in front of the fireplace and then sat on the edge of his bed. He folded his arms over his chest and waited.

"I have to admit I was terribly frightened today. Could you tell?" She looked at him from beneath her lashes, her lips curved invitingly.

"Nay, you seemed quite sure of yourself." It was not quite true but she had done well."

"Liar, you knew I was afraid, yet you allowed me to continue."

He moved to lean against a nearby chair. "You agreed to help knowing there was little other choice. We must often do what we care not to do."

"Indeed," she said and rose from the bed. He caught a faint glimpse of fabric, sheer enough he had seen her knee. He blinked.

"But tonight is different."

"Is it?" he replied, trying to remember where he had seen that fabric.

"Aye," she agreed, reaching him to stand before him. "I received a package today, this morning before the crane fell."

He lifted a brow. "Did you?"

"Aye," she said again. She looked up at him, her eyes bright. "But you did not send it as I once thought."

He could have stared into her eyes all evening. "Nay," he said thickly.

She sighed as she walked her fingers up his chest. "Then I must wonder who would send me such a gift."

The fabric flashed into his head. "Arwen," he said suddenly, closing his eyes as the memory of the previous evening careened through his head, his mistaken assumption of what the elven princess had done.

Arwen had been sitting near the fire, bent over the sheer lengths of fabric covering her knees, her dark hair fallen to hide her face as she worked. Haldir had been speaking with Aragorn, his thoughts distracted as they often were to Lillah.

Arwen's soft voice had interrupted his musings.

"Do you like this fabric, Haldir?" She had held up a length to show him, her fingers and hand clearly visible beneath the blue green tint.

He had lifted a brow, faintly amused that she would ask his opinion on something he assumed was personal.

How wrong he had been, the elleth's intentions suddenly all too clear, her interference quite plain to him now.

Lillah was tapping a finger against her lips, an action that drew his gaze like a magnet. The Valar help him he knew he had lost a round against these two elleths.

She looked up at him, her eyes twinkling. "Arwen? She would do something like this. She truly is a wicked elleth, you know, much more like her brothers than most would believe."

Haldir had no trouble believing it. He tried not to shudder when her fingers slid down to his navel.

"How would you know it to be her, though?" Lillah had to ask.

He reached out to touch her but the elf moved away, her fingers gripping the clasp to her cloak. "She was working on something last night that she asked my opinion of."

Lillah's smile was pure wickedness, her laughter soft. "Indeed? And what did you say, March Warden?"

He smiled faintly. "I saw only the fabric, but said it left little to the imagination."

"Ah," Lillah replied, her back to him. She stood in front of a mirror, her eyes reflected like glimmering diamonds in the firelight. "And just what can you imagine Haldir?"

"All too much," he said.

She turned away from the mirror with a smile. He watched her fingers twist the clasp on her cloak, his breath suddenly caught in his chest. The clasp came free to loosen the folds of fabric over her shoulders and then the cloak slid to her feet in a heavy whisper of cloth. He was wrong. He could not have imagined the exquisite sight before him, hidden yet revealed all too clearly to his eye. He breathed in deeply, fingers curled tightly into fists in order to not touch her.

"And your opinion now?" she asked softly.

"Stunning."

She laughed and moved closer, laying her hands on his chest. He was sure she felt the heavy beat of his heart and the difficulty he had to draw a breath. She slid her hands over his chest and then around his neck, fingers weaving into his hair to pull his head down to hers and then she kissed him.

He gripped her shoulders gently, resisting the desire to fold her deeper into his embrace, knowing without a doubt this kiss would be all she would give him.

She drew back and then bent down to gather her cloak. The fabric enfolded the delightful treasure beneath it as she closed the clasp firmly. "Shall I relay your opinion to Arwen?"

"Nay, I shall do so myself, lady. I am sure I will need her distraction this eve."

Lillah reached up to caress his cheek. "The play is now in your hand, March Warden." She smiled at him and then slipped out of the door, leaving him standing alone in his room, shaking his head with a smile.

TBC


	11. Chapter 11

Thank you to all who wait so patiently for me to continue Lillah's story. After the last chapter and the brief departure into some adventurous elf preening, I had to admit I'd taken a tiny bit of a exodus from the main story line. A story line I also have to say I've struggled with in the past few weeks. All of my scenarios seemed quite lame, and this chapter has been rewritten and reconfigured numerous times. But I will let it go at this attempt, and yes, another cliff-hanger as I work to finalize the ending of this adventure. We like happy endings, so keep faith that all will fall into place, if with a bit of tension to keep it spicy.

I am also proud to note that Reunion has done well, available at www. , under the pen name of Fianna Leighton. It graced the publishers top ten list for a week after being released, so I am happy with that. IF you like elves, and you like my style of writing, you will find the Silvermane brothers all very familiar and endearing. And coming soon…. Again to RR,-- Renaissance Man-- a modern day romance, true, but Fallon is an elf at heart, as well as in looks, but for the ears. Hehe. He's a sword dealer, and Lia… a woman looking for the perfect man!

Back to Lillah, and again, many hugs to all of you following my tale. Slan!

Fianna

Chapter 11

He could have followed her easily, could have taken what he knew she would eventually offer but instead Haldir sat on his bed for a moment and ran a hand through his hair. He had loosened the braids he normally wore and the silver blond strands hung heavy over his brow as he contemplated his next move.

He could do as he had told Lillah and leave her to consider just what she had done to him, yet he knew he would not.

The die had been cast the first moment he had set eyes on her.

Haldir strode rapidly across the room, uncaring that he wore nothing more than his tunic and leggings, opening to heavy door to the hall. Lillah's assumption that she had eluded the guards amused him. Although he knew she could be quite stealthy as all elves could be, still he knew Aragorn's guards were trained well. She arrived in his rooms only because they allowed her to.

He was not going to be the one to disillusion her aspirations to become a ranger, for indeed, she would do well, even as dangerous as it was. The position would suit her. She would not find living among the elves easy after being with her human husband, her desires to see more of the world would push her to leave the safety of home. He could not fault her for that.

The hall guard nodded as he passed him, a faint smile curving the man's lips.

Haldir stopped and turned around to face the sentinel.

"She did not stay long, my lord."

Haldir curbed an impatient snort, the title one he had asked them not to use. "Indeed, she did not."

The guard's expression shifted back to the bland façade they generally wore, but Haldir knew his thoughts well enough. "You did not reveal you knew she was there."

The guard smiled again, his gray eyes amused. "Nay, sir. Rinethel spoke to me earlier and warned me that she intended a visit to one certain elf." The guard's gaze twinkled. "It was not difficult to ascertain just who he was. Nor that the she-elf did not want anyone to know of her visit. Pardon my asking, but this is not done between elves?"

Haldir found the question intriguing. "We have few restrictions among our kind; her secrecy was of her choosing. I thank you for your discretion."

The guard saluted smartly. "It is my pleasure as always, March Warden. Her visit beyond getting through me is none of my business, my lord."

Haldir gripped the man's shoulder for a moment. "Nay, tis not, but true her visit was not long enough. Have you noted the way she left?"

The guard seemed unsettled by Haldir's gesture, but answered after clearing his throat. "She went out the west hall, my lord. If I may be so bold, I don't think she went very far. I know that Rinethel was waiting for her, and . . ." he coughed again. "I heard him mention that you would expect her to return home and that she should not go there."

Haldir grinned. "My thanks, then." He turned back toward his room, but paused when the guard chuckled. He turned to look at him, brow lifted.

"I would hope, sir, you would finish dressing. The ladies of Aragorn's court are already a flutter whenever you or one of the other elves appear. Half –dressed. . ." the guard looked pointedly at Haldir's bare feet.

The elf laughed. "Have no fear, my friend. I shall repair to my room to complete my attire." He walked back down the hall, shaking his head. "Aflutter?" he repeated and then remembered Lillah fully dressed. "Aflutter, indeed," he mused, returning to his chambers to gather his things.

**

Rinethel waited patiently, hidden in the shadows, aware of the time passing, yet unconcerned.

It was not as if Aragorn would toss Lillah into the dungeons should she be caught, rather it was more a challenge for her to prove she could slip into the halls of the King, just as much as it was a revelation of just who and want she wanted.

Not that he was surprised she had connected with the March Warden of Lothlorien. He was a fine elf, and the mutual pain each bore was something few would understand, nor realize how much it brought them together. He also knew whatever relationship the two chose would not be one of bonded bliss. Lillah was too unsettled, Haldir too loyal to the land of his heart. He would never leave Lorién, nor would Lillah be happy there either.

No , like the challenges already met, their relationship would be heady, filled with passion, but one of moments, the one soon to come, and more after that. But moments that would span years instead of days.

He turned as her footsteps whispered on the tile floor.

She was flushed, gripping the clasp of her cloak tightly, her eyes wide with laughter.

"I am free, Rinethel."

He bowed his head as she reached him, pressing a kiss to her hair. "You have always been free, beloved."

She pressed her hands to his chest and he could feel the tremble in her fingers.

"Nay, I am finally free," she whispered. "I went to him," Lillah smiled. "But I did not give him much."

Rinethel knew better. "He will come for you."

Lillah looked at him, her face glowing with excitement. "I know. I am both terrified and enthralled by the idea. Am I a fool, Rin?"

He chuckled and wrapped his arms around her as she shivered. "Nay, you are swept up by an elf, one who I assure you will not take no for an answer if I know him well enough. What will you do now?"

She hugged him. "I am going to find the twins. I need their help in evading the March Warden, just as I still need you." She stepped back, her fingers locked with his. "He will get what he wants, but not as quickly as he thinks."

Rinethel grinned, following his sister. "Perhaps, but you don't know Haldir as well as I do."

**

The twins were in residence in the city as well, currently lodged quite happily in the guard's common room among twenty more of Aragorn's finest soldiers. Elrohir sat with a glass of wine, two mugs of ale and a pile of coins that nearly buried his left arm. Elladan was drinking as well, the ale making him wrinkle his nose as Lillah and Rinethel were ushered into the room.

Elladan glanced up and lifted his mug in greeting. "Ah, you have found us, my friends. Have you come to join our game? Elrohir has won the guard's monthly allowance ten times over."

Lillah gripped her cloak, glancing back at her brother. Elladan lowered his mug while Elrohir began to gather his coins. "You have need of us?"

Lillah nodded faintly. Rinethel lifted a brow from behind her, his blue eyes twinkling, alerting the twins that things were going to get interesting. Elrohir thumped the bag of gold onto the table, leaning over it to stare at the guards around him. "I fear taking your hard earned wage interests me not. I return it, only to expect to win it again later." He chuckled, slapping the nearest man on the back. "Your game is endearing, I like this idea of gambling."

Elladan snickered, but rose to stand beside Lillah, curiously eyeing the heavy cloak she wore. "This not a cool night as yet, is it?" he asked. He reached out to finger the cloth but Lillah stepped away, her fingers clasped tightly around the front. Elladan lifted a brow unable to keep a sly smile from curving his lips.

"You are up to no good, Lalaith."

She smiled, if nervously, tucked into Rinethel's protective embrace. "I was, and am still. Care to join me?"

Elrohir appeared beside his twin. "Does it involve Haldir?"

Lillah's eyes brightened and both elves laughed. They waved off the guards and followed Rinethel back outside. The breeze ruffled Lillah's cloak, drawing all three elleth's forward as she backed up against the wall.

"What do you wear under this garment?" Elrohir inquired, bending down to lift the fabric at her knee.

Lillah slapped his hand. "Nothing that you need to see."

Elladan moved beside her, but Rinethel's hand on his shoulder made him sigh. "Fine, leave us guessing, but say only that it was a gift and I know just what you wear."

Both twins laughed when Lillah blushed.

"So, has Haldir seen it, that is the question," Elladan murmured, noting Rinethel's silence, a sign of his approval.

"Briefly," the elleth whispered.

"A look only?" Elrohir exclaimed. "You are cruel, elleth, cruel."

"Nay, she sets his blood to boil," Elladan countered. "You do know this will be the last straw for him."

Lillah smiled. "I know, but I want it on my terms, not his."

**

"I say we must include Legolas," Elrohir chided the others, his long legs slowed to match Lillah's shorter movements. "He is too often left out, being royalty and all. Too many fear Thranduil's wrath should his son be harmed in any way."

"Do you expect Haldir to be moved to violence?" Rinethel questioned, his fingers gripping Lillah's elbow as he guided her over the path. They had left the palace of the king behind, making their way higher into the mountain above Minas Tirith. Lillah shivered beneath his hand, more from anticipation than cold he was sure.

Elrohir looked back over his shoulder, pausing to hold back a branch for Lillah. The trees were sparse, mainly pine at this height, they made the path tight to traverse at this juncture, a fact the Rivendell elf had not forgotten.

Not only did they crowd the path, they gave cover for whatever, or whoever, might be inclined to travel the same trail.

He smiled, and continued behind Rinethel. Elladan followed more slowly, muttering to himself.

"What are you doing?" Elrohir declared, stopping to wait for his brother.

"He has already been here."

"I know this." Elrohir gripped Elladan's arm. "As has Legolas, my reason for his mention. Haldir has gathered his own."

"An interesting situation," Elrohir chuckled. "Just what does she expect us to do?"

"I am not sure. But it will be fun, no doubt."

The twins hurried after Rinethel and Lillah, fully ware their passing was noted.

**

"She is not alone," Legolas mused. He sat braced on the upper branches of the pine tree, just to the point the tree might have bowed under his weight had he not been an elf, seen if yet another pine had not hidden him from the view of the travelers marching up the path to the clearing at the height of the mountain. "Aragorn said the White Tree grows well on the mountain."

Haldir nodded absently, arms folded across his chest. He sat a few feet down from Legolas, one knee bent on the branch, the other bracing him as the wind shivered through the branches. "Life has returned to normal for some."

The Prince of Mirkwood looked down curiously. "For some, yet others will not be so lucky."

Haldir sighed, his attention taken from the task he had chosen, thrust instead into the past, one he had tried to forget. The hobbit would struggle, his life irrevocably changed. The elf above him would not rule a kingdom as his father did, Haldir knew the elves would not linger long enough for that. It saddened him to think their future lay so dark, yet there was always the West, and hope.

And Lillah. He inhaled the tree's scent, relishing the tangy odor of sap, the fresh smell of the pine. He brushed his fingers against the bark in a caress and then tapped Legolas on his boot. "Indeed, my friend. But those thoughts are not ones I wish to consider at this time."

They climbed from the tree to crouch at the base of the pine. Haldir drew a faint image of the path as it curved up the mountain. "There are a few places to ambush and the twins know them well."

"Indeed, I am sure they know we lie in wait already," Legolas agreed.

"In that respect, we will not wait, but follow."

The Mirkwood elf lifted a brow, his lips curved in amusement. "It is never good to be the last in line."

Haldir only chuckled and rose to his feet.

**

Rinethel had been a ranger too long not to sense they were being followed, it was clear in his walk, his wariness. The twins had dropped back a few steps as the path narrowed, curving among a large outcropping of rock. It was a perfect place to be ambushed and the elf kept a judicial eye on the rocks around them. Elladan had elected to follow at the end of the line, bow in hand, walking backwards as much as he did forward.

It did not help him evade the arms that reached for him, whirling a second too late to find himself lifted bodily up behind a rock, eyes widening just before Haldir pressed his fingers against Elladan's forehead.

"Sleep well," Haldir whispered before settling the limp elf against a rock.

Legolas snorted faintly. Elladan had always lost the games of stealth. He followed Haldir over the rocks, cloaked in Lorién colors, hidden from the other elves below by the magical weave only the elves of the Golden Wood could create. Haldir kept pace with the others easily, surefooted among the rocks as much as he was in the trees.

Legolas wondered how long Elrohir would keep the news of Elladan's loss to himself. The elf had looked back twice and had shaken his head.

Lillah was speaking to her brother, her attention not on their current danger, moving in way that told Legolas her thoughts were on something quite different. He smiled, crouching beside Haldir when he paused on a large outcropping of rock just as Rinethel looked up. The elf frowned and then continued forward, his hand gripping his sister's arm.

"It will not be easy to separate those two," Legolas observed ruefully. "Elrohir knows we have taken Elladan."

"Aye, they are too connected not to sense the other," Haldir agreed. "It will make him vulnerable. He will watch too closely."

Legolas arched a brow. "Is there such a thing?"

The March Warden smiled wickedly. "My wardens have learned that sometimes it is better to relax, to allow your senses to watch rather than your eyes."

The Prince rubbed his chin. "True, it was always easier to feel the spiders in the darkest reaches of Mirkwood than see them."

Haldir nodded, and waved them on.

**

Elrohir slowed his steps as he searched the rocks in vain, knowing the elf had worn the camouflaging cloak of Lorién to hide in plain sight. It had been too easy to drag off Elladan, more than likely due to the ale, for even though the liquor did not cause the same effects on an elf as it did on men, it still dulled the senses somewhat.

It would give Elrohir something to rib his brother about later.

A faint rattle of stones made him turn, looking up to see Legolas grinning at him, a silent phantom that quickly disappeared when he let the cloak he wore engulf him. Elrohir cursed and stepped back only to find a hand over his mouth and an arm tight over his chest. He fought the elf, drawing Rinethel's attention just before Haldir dragged him behind a large rock. Elrohir shook off the arm holding him, whirling to face the Lorién elf, but found him gone.

"Sauron's balls, Haldir, what do you intend?"

Rinethel appeared around the rock. "Where is Elladan?"

Elrohir waved at the trail. "Back there somewhere."

Rin sucked in a deep breath. "He is well?"

""Sleeping like a baby no doubt," Elrohir answered dryly. He stared at Rinethel. "Where is Lillah?"

They both stared at each other in horror for a moment before scrambling over the rocks back to the path.

Lillah was gone.

**

Legolas firmly gripped the squirming creature on his shoulder, amused by her muffled curses. Haldir had yet to dispatch the remaining two elves. The March Warden had declared them all fair game in his battle for the elleth Legolas carried, their assistance only a minor distraction from the warden's goal.

Legolas decided right away it was quite fun to see the wild rangers of Imladris taken down so easily. He would keep in mind their vulnerability, a closeness that was also strength at times. Interesting their bond could be both.

He shifted his bundle, leaping over a fallen tree, one of few remaining as he gained the upper reaches of the mountain.

Behind him, Haldir moved in to take yet another elf to task.

One that was not so easily taken.

**

Rinethel shifted, turning slowly in a circle as Elrohir snarled, crouched on one knee on one of the rocks overhanging the trail.

"He stood here, wretch. I should have watched more closely."

"Nay, perhaps we watch too much.," Rin declared. "Perhaps we should simply give him the prize he seeks?"

Elrohir looked up, his blue eyes narrowed. "Would you give her up so readily, Rin? He has made a fool of my brother, nearly taken me unaware, a fact I shall deny to any that ask."

Rinethel grinned in amusement, fully intending on finding his sister, but curious to see if Elrohir would give in, since they both knew what Lillah really wanted.

Elrohir rose to his feet, brushing off his hands. "Nay, he wants a game, we shall continue it. Finding Lillah is now imperative, he will not get that prize he seeks if I have any choice. I will stop him." The elf sniffed, clearly annoyed.

Rinethel turned slightly, the whispering of the trees paused for a moment, and then turned back to find Elrohir striding further down the path. "Where are you going?"

"Haldir watches and waits. We will make him move. He may be a warden of the Golden Wood, but I am of Imladris, the land of water and rock. This is rock, this is my play." The elf drew the bow strapped over his shoulder. "I say it's time to play a bit rougher."

TBC


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

"There are few trees to hide a wood elf now," Elrohir called out, bow held lightly, his chin down as he listened as well as an elf could hear to the wind. He did not miss the faint sound of laughter. He grunted, remembering how many times this scenario had been repeated -- often to his detriment when in the woods of Lorién, sometimes to Haldir's when he came to Imladris. As elflings, the games of hide and seek and retribution had only been a precursor to their current occupations. However, although Haldir's wardens may not have moved about Arda as the twins did, their danger was often a daily occurrence situated as they were between the orcs of Moria and Mordor.

The incessant struggle to keep what they had had honed the elves of Lothlorien into somber, intent warriors, but on occasion, they could still laugh.

Elrohir knew it had been sometime for that emotion for Haldir, and even though the elf had annoyed him in this game, he still enjoyed the opportunity to lighten Haldir's mood, to give him some respite from the horrors they all had experienced. But, he was not going to give in, even if Rinethel was having second thoughts.

Elrohir looked at the elf, another ranger of Elrond's montage of warriors, sent to guard the greenway and those creatures not aware of the dangers they faced. Or hadn't been, until the War of the Ring. But that was past now, things were slowly calming, life moved on, good or bad, for all of them.

Rinethel sank to the ground to brush his fingers against the soil, what little of it remained over the rocky terrain they were currently searching. The trail had let into a wide meadow in the center of which stood the sapling, wreathed in white, the icon of Aragorn's realm. The White Tree had given them hope that things were going to get better.

There was little more than the tree and more rocks, still enough to hide a slim elf or two.

Rin sniffed his fingers, a frown marring the handsome features so similar to Lillah's. "There has been bear here!"

Elrohir lifted a brow. "I would have imagined them gone long ago with the building of Minas Tirith."

The warden shook his head, rising to his feet. "I just hope he is far away. Lillah has enough beasts to deal with." He grinned at Elrohir. "A wolf perhaps?"

"But what would that make Legolas?" Elrohir replied, laughing. "A pup?"

The arrow winged between them, splitting the air in a whooshing sound that had both elves leaping apart. It skittered off a rock and landed at Elrohir's feet, fletched in the colors of Mirkwood.

"A pup?" Legolas complained, standing above them, bow in hand, his cloak tossed back over his shoulders. "I was worried you had become a couple of old women. It took you long enough to arrive."

"Where is Lillah?" Rinethel demanded.

"A good and intriguing question," Legolas replied and he touched his brow, shrugging into his cloak once more to disappear.

Elrohir was not surprised this time, and expecting the move, had crept closer to the rock. A grunt sounded from what seemed like thin air when he leaped, landing for a moment on nothing, but then Legolas appeared beneath him, struggling not to laugh, his bow flung forward where Rinethel picked it up.

"Where is Lillah?" Rinethel asked again, crouching in front of Legolas as Elrohir sat on his back.

"Again, a good question," Legolas quipped. "One that can be asked numerous times and receives yet the same answer."

Elrohir smacked the younger elf on the back of the head.

"If he harms her in any way," Rinethel declared.

Legolas only snorted. "She is fine, if severely annoyed, tucked away where you will not find her. I suggest you watch your back instead of worrying about an elleth who only wants what she is definitely going to get."

"Haldir no longer has you to aid him," Rinethel began, but stumbled back a step suddenly, lifting a hand to his forehead. "Ow," he cried, looking at his fingers to find them bloody. "He has drawn blood!"

He ducked a second rock, whirling to leap off the rock he'd been standing on, picking up Legolas's bow.

"Hey, that is mine," Legolas declared, muffled as Elrohir sprawled over him.

Rinethel grinned and ran to the edge of the steep drop at the side of the clearing, holding the bow over the edge. "Your treasure for mine."

"You would not dare," Legolas hissed, struggling underneath Elrohir.

Rinethel looked at the bow, his expression bland. "Perhaps…"

"No, he would not, for the gift was from the Lady of Light herself," a voice declared, a moment later appearing in the form of the King. Aragorn removed the bow from Rinethel, snorting faintly and then stopped next to Elrohir. "And what, pray tell, are you doing?"

Legolas grunted sourly.

Elrohir smiled, but did not move from where he still pinned the prince to the ground. "Did you see Elladan on your way up?"

"Nay, is he in on this as well?" Aragorn waved his hand. "Never mind, stupid question."

"We are looking for Lillah," Rinethel stated and sent a scowl at Legolas. "Haldir has kidnapped her."

Aragorn folded his arms over his chest, tucking Legolas's bow under his arm. "Really? Are you sure?"

Rinethel nodded, but his lips twitched faintly. "We know that Legolas was with Haldir. But he refused to tell us where he put her."

Aragorn tilted his head slightly. "Are you not confused? It seemed to me that Lillah and Haldir…" He left the sentence unfinished, brows lifted.

Elrohir shook his head. "But the lady in question requested our assistance in the matter, Haldir was rushing things," he said smoothly.

Legolas snorted from underneath him.

Elrohir dug an elbow into the elf's side.

"So in the meantime, while you sit on Legolas, Haldir is where?" Aragorn inquired.

Rinethel looked at Elrohir. "Too easy."

Elrohir nodded sagely. "He wanted a challenge."

Both elves smiled at Aragorn. "He's waiting to take us down first."

Aragorn rubbed his brow as if it pained him. "Now I know why Arwen sent me up here," he sighed. "A man's work is never done."

All three elves looked at him curiously.

**

Lillah tried not to panic, engulfed in what she was sure was Haldir's cloak, wrapped so tightly so that she could hardly move, her mouth bound with a cloth so she could not call out. She grunted as she twisted her hands behind her, but Legolas had done his work well and the knots were still tight. She sighed around the gag, unable to see through the thin fabric.

She wondered what he had planned, and where Haldir was. This had to be the March Warden's suggestion, but was not sure just what he intended. Well, she was in some regards, but this was all going wrong. It was supposed to be on her terms, she had planned on arriving at the clearing where the White Tree blossomed, a sign of renewal and new beginnings. A perfect place for her to begin again, to find her new life path, one that she hoped would include Haldir.

Rinethel had warned her, of course.

She should have known Haldir would not leave things as she had left them. Had she really expected him to, or did she dare admit she had hoped, as she had told Rin, that she was liberated enough, her heart finally free of the grief of her husband's loss to allow Haldir inside her heart.

As he had been for some time now.

Something brushed her shoulders and Lillah would have screamed but for the gag, but then the cloak was drawn from her face and she found Haldir grinning at her.

He drew off the cloth from her mouth. He arched a brow wickedly, his hair gleaming in the bright moonlight. "Lillah, well met."

"Untie me," she hissed, scowling at the elf.

He clicked his tongue. "I cannot, my work is yet unfinished."

She frowned. "What work? Where is Legolas, that wretch? I am going to hogtie him and hang him upside down for the women to do as they will."

The elf beside her smothered a laugh. "He will hate that no doubt."

Lillah only sniffed.

Haldir grinned. "It should not take me long to compete my task."

She scowled and then cursed ineffectively when he replaced the cloth over her mouth.

"I cannot have you drawing attention to yourself, there are bear about." He kissed her forehead gently. "So be quiet until I return." The cloak covered her again, leaving her floundering both physically and emotionally as fear rolled over her.

"Vear?" she cried.

**

Haldir skirted the clearing, cloak fluttering in the wind, his gaze on the three elves and the man, smiling at their conversation. Aragorn was clearly amused, Legolas, finally allowed off the ground, was sitting on a rock with his arms crossed, and Rinethel and Elrohir were both arguing their case to Aragorn.

"We cannot let him have her so easily. She needed some sense of control," Rinethel maintained heatedly. "He has swept her off her feet, she is not ready."

Aragorn did not seem to agree. Haldir considered what Lillah had done so far. Not ready? On the contrary, she was pushing things quite handily.

Legolas had covered his mouth with his hand and Elrohir was staring at him intently.

"Why do you laugh, Legolas?" the ranger demanded.

Haldir moved closer to hear the answer.

"You obviously did not see the dress she had on," Legolas replied.

"And you did?" Rin moved closer, his expression suddenly cool.

Legolas ignored Lillah's brother and stared back at Elrohir to answer. "I saw only very modest portions," he admitted and sent a sly glance at Rinethel.

"So where have you put her so we can all go to bed?" Aragorn asked quietly.

Legolas shrugged. "More than likely she is gone now."

"Haldir miss out on a chance to play?" Elrohir sniffed. "Not on your life. So where is she?"

Legolas only grinned.

Haldir applauded the young prince's loyalty, and his stubbornness. It was time to move things along. The March Warden selected an arrow from the quiver on his back, nocking the shaft carefully and drew back, slowly, gently, shifting his cheek so that the line of the string came into focus, behind it – Rinethel as he stood glaring at Legolas. It was time to take out the brother, one who really was not into the game, torn between concern for his sister and allowing her to have what she wanted. Haldir smiled and let go of the arrow. It bore swiftly through the air, twisting as it arced soundlessly toward Rinethel, but the elf sensed the danger and moved, just as Haldir knew he would.

Instead of impaling the elf as it might have had he not moved, the shaft instead caught his cloak and the momentum of the arrow, the short distance of the target, drew the elf backwards off his feet in a rush, landing with a groan on his back as the arrow buried itself deep into the ground.

Elrohir was on his feet but Haldir had moved quickly away.

Legolas looked down at Rinethel, lying stunned on the ground. "Tsk, elf -- that was just too easy."

**

Elrohir scanned the clearing, silently laughing at Rinethel caught unawares. He knew there would be a moment of decision soon. Would Haldir win this round, or could Elrohir detect the March Warden's next move before he completed it? The ranger turned slowly to gaze around him, aware that Aragorn had gone to help Rin remove the long Lorién arrow holding him down, while Legolas sat watching Elrohir intently.

"You won't guess," Legolas said.

"I have played this game before," Elrohir replied dryly.

"Ah, but Haldir's stakes have not been so…enticing," the Prince decided.

Elrohir had to agree to that. He shrugged. "Matters not, pup, I will find the elleth and spoil his fun."

Aragorn looked up from beside Rinethel who was inspecting the fine tear in his cloak. "Perhaps this is not what Lillah wants?"

The other elves looked at him.

"Perhaps," Aragorn continued, as if he were the elder of the four of them, rather than the youngest. "She was looking for a diversion for him until she was ready."

Rinethel snorted in disagreement.

Legolas was considering the idea, while Elrohir looked confused.

Haldir, sitting behind them, blinked, and then leaped to his feet.

**

Lillah tucked the small knife back into her shoe, for a moment sorry to have destroyed the fine weave of Haldir's cloak. Hers was still fairly intact, with only a few tears as she had wiggled free finally of the bonds Legolas had placed on her wrists, knowing the elf had done the knots just so she could eventually free herself. She giggled, glad she had spoken to him earlier in the day.

She rose from the tiny cave, really only a curve in the rock, to find herself not far from where Legolas had abducted her, even though it had felt liked he'd walked halfway back to the city, wicked elf. She scrambled down the rock back to the path, shifting her cloak so it wasn't in her way, and headed back down the path as quickly as she could.

She reached the upper level of Minas Tirith just as the sky began to lighten and headed back inside the palace. This time however, she did not try to avoid the guard but walked past him with a sultry smile that had him smiling back.

"He is not there, my lady,"

Lillah paused. "He will be shortly."

The guard saluted her and then resumed his position.

She pushed open the door to Haldir's room, sniffing the scent that lingered of him, shedding the remains of her cloak. She pushed open the windows to allow the cool night air to sweep into the room, bringing with it the night sounds, the smell of the blossoms of Arwen's garden, which reminded her of the roses Haldir had so many times left for her.

She leaned her forehead against the cool pane of the glass, smiling as she felt more than heard the door open again.

"It is not often that I am led so easily."

Lillah suppressed a giggle. She had had many teachers, and suggestions.

She heard him remove what she assumed probably was his quiver and bow, setting them with a soft tap of wood against stone.

"You have destroyed my cloak."

She sniffed, glancing over her shoulder to find him holding the remains of the fabric, brow lifted as he stared back.

"Sorry, it was in the way."

He let the fabric flutter to the floor, his eyes glittering as he continued to stare.

"I fear there is something else in the way," he said, walking toward her in a way that made her turn around, her heart in her throat as she pressed back against the window.

"Is there?" she asked, swallowing as he loomed over her, his hair glinting in the light of the candles, smelling of pine, the forest. She inhaled the scent, closing her eyes as he stopped in front of her, reaching out to brace his hands on the window beside her.

"Indeed, but upon closer inspection, it seems little bother." His voice had lowered in pitch, his breath warming her neck as he leaned close.

She shuddered, unable to breathe deeply, her heart pounding at his nearness. She wanted him, oh how she wanted this elf, to feel again what she had forgotten could be between elves.

Haldir slid a hand to her neck, slowly easing away the long strands of her hair to cup the back of her head. "You played the game well, Lillah. Will you flee once again?"

She opened her eyes to find him so near she had only to lean forward and their lips would have met. "I am not running away this time."

He smiled, a slow curve of his lips. "Nay, you are not."

She pressed her hands against his chest, wanting to feel more than the silk that covered the muscles she could feel beneath her hands, she wanted to feel him, to taste him, touch him. She wanted to feel alive again, to be free to enjoy a handsome elf. She looked down, biting her lip. She wanted so much more, but did he?

His fingers touched her chin. "I cannot promise what I cannot give as yet, Lillah."

She shivered at his touch and looked up into his grey eyes. "Did I ask?"

He looked at her intently, searching. "You did not need to ask, but I offer all that I can, whenever I can, for as long as you wish it."

She studied his face, memorizing the arch of his brow, the clear grey of his eyes, the honestly there. "You are one with Lorién, I am fully aware of that."

He nodded faintly. "As you are unsure yet of where you belong. Lorién would bore you in a matter of weeks, even though it is the fairest of the elven cities." He smiled smugly, his eyes twinkling.

Lillah smiled. "I would like to see it still."

He slid his hand along her cheek in a caress that sent her stomach to fluttering. When was the last time she had felt so affected by a male. She shivered, her lips open as she tried to inhale only to have him lean into her to kiss her, his lips a warm caress over hers, tasting, testing… hungry.

She felt her knees go weak, but was held against him by an arm around her waist, pulled tightly against a hard male body, one of muscle and sinew, long and lean. The feel of him excited her, the strength in his grasp, the way he kissed her, hungry yet reserved, waiting to see how she would react.

She had brazenly offered him a glimpse of her body, and openly challenged him. She would not be the shy maiden now. She slid her arms around his neck, pressing her body against his more fully, hip to hip, aware instantly of his reaction.

He groaned, his body hardening. She gasped as he lifted her to sit on the window sill, pushing aside her knees so he could stand inside them. His hands cupped her face and he drew her back to him but did not kiss her. Instead he looked down at her, a faint smile curving the corner of his mouth. "I expected to complete this in a meadow on a mountain top."

"It is cold up there," she replied, nearly moaning when he kissed her throat.

"I doubt you would feel it."

She gasped when his thumbs brushed her nipples, the sheer gown hardly a deterrent to the feelings he was easily evoking with this fingers. She slid her hands down his sides to find the bottom of his tunic.

"The ground is pretty rocky up there," she declared, shuddering when his lips touched her skin. When had he removed the gown, she wondered, aware it was now pooled at her waist.

He flinched briefly when her fingers slid over the heated proof of his desire. It answered, even as he gasped in approval when she caressed the length of him.

"Things would have progressed more slowly," he said, lifting her off the window to carry her across the room to his bed. He set her down and the gown whispered to the floor in a shimmery pool of color. "Here I am nearly undone," he admitted in whisper even as he pulled off the tunic he wore and pushed her back against the pillows. "Here I find my hunger is relentless, my desire to have you more than I can bear."

She blinked up at him as he sprawled over her, noting his eyes had darkened to a deeper grey. "Have I complained, March Warden? I am no maid to be wooed with slow teasing caresses."

He laughed, wrapping his arms around her and then rolling them until she was sitting over him, her hair a cloak that covered them both. She smiled and leaned down to kiss him, only to freeze as someone pounded on the door.

"It is locked," he said quietly.

The door rattled as someone tried to open it. Lillah glanced at the door and then back at Haldir. "I am in a very compromising position."

He grinned, "Nay, it would be me, lady. I've been led as I said, and simply am allowing you to continue."

Lillah ignored the voices outside the door. "Are you?"

"Indeed," he agreed.

"Well then, March Warden, it is time to finish this game once and for all."

The voices faded from the door but Lillah didn't care. Haldir had pulled her to him to kiss her again, or she was kissing him, she wasn't sure anymore. Her body was singing, her blood heated beyond anything she had felt with her husband. She dragged her hands into his hair, shifting so they met perfectly and then she could only gasp as they joined, sitting up to take him as she could, eyes closed at the pleasure.

From there she remembered little but the immense flood of feeling, the touches, the caress of his fingers, his body against hers. She was free, rising to meet the stars, floating on a cloud of pleasure that lasted long into the morning.

When she finally slept, it was curled into the March Wardens' side, her head on his shoulder, her fingers entwined into his hair.

TBC


End file.
